Four Lost Victims Of Flash Floods In Parigi Moutong, Central Sulawesi Continue To Be Searched For By The SAR Team

The joint SAR team clears a pile of wood in the middle of the sea in an effort to find four victims of a flash flood in Torue Village, Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi, Saturday (30/7/2022). (Antara/Moh Ridwan)

JAKARTA - The Search and Rescue (Kansar) Office of Basarnas said the SAR team had not found and would continue to search for the four victims who were lost in flash floods in Torue Village, Parigi Moutong Regency, Central Sulawesi.

"The third day of SAR operations are still nil. Even so, search activities continue," said Head of Operations Section of the Palu SAR Office, Andi Sultan in Torue, Parigi Moutong, as reported by Antara, Saturday.

He explained that the search operation was assisted by personnel from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the TNI/Polri, and the search and rescue potential as well as local fishermen.

From the search process, the SAR team found something similar to a human body part, so the object was evacuated to land, but the doctor said it was unlikely that the object was a human body part.

"Even so, the objects found by the SAR team are still being brought to the laboratory for inspection, and we have coordinated with INAFIS Parigi Moutong Police," said Andi.

He explained that the plan for the fourth day of operation on Sunday, August 1, 2022, the SAR team will form four groups/SRUs to comb around Torue waters with sufficient fleet strength.

"The personnel strength is adequate, the supporting fleet in the form of rubber boats is ready to help search for around three units belonging to Basarnas, Polairud and BPBD Poso Regency, plus local fishing boats," said Andi.

He stated that the obstacles faced by the SAR team joining when carrying out operations were the large piles of wood and chunks of houses swept away by floods that made it difficult for search activities, as well as cloudy sea water conditions limiting the dive's visibility.

"Even so, we are still trying our best, we will also try other techniques in the next day's operation, we hope that tomorrow's search will show signs that indicate the whereabouts of the victim," Andi said.