Bobby Nasution Asks Sumatra BWS To Fix Rivers To Overcome Floods

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution inspects the flood on Jalan Dr. Mansyur, Medan, Thursday (18/8/2022). (ANTARA Doc)

MEDAN - Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution asked the Sumatra II River Basin Center (BWS) to fix river flows including the Deli River, Sei Sikambing River and Selayang River to overcome flooding in Medan City, North Sumatra.

"We want the Sumatra II BWS to find a solution for dealing with flooding and to quickly normalize the Deli River and other river flows in Medan City," Bobby explained in Medan as reported by ANTARA, Friday, August 19.

The flood incident in the capital city of North Sumatra Province on Thursday (18/7), continued Bobby Nasution, was due to the high intensity of rain upstream to downstream of the river in Medan City since Wednesday (17/8) night.

Heavy rains that lasted until Thursday morning caused the three rivers, namely the Deli River, Sei Sikambing River and Selayang River to overflow, inundating roads and residents' houses.

Data from the Medan City Regional Disaster Management Agency, Thursday (18/8), stated that a total of 2,247 people were affected and 696 houses were flooded in six villages in five sub-districts of Medan City.

"Several houses were flooded due to the bursting of the Deli River embankment. So the first treatment is to build an emergency embankment with the Sumatra BWS, while waiting for a permanent embankment," he explained.

The mayor also instructed the Medan City Public Works Department to improve drainage, including Jalan Tinta in Medan Petisah and Jalan Dr Mansyur in Medan Selayang.

"So the handling of both (drainage and river, ed) must be carried out, and must not be one by one," explained Bobby.