From The Floods To Mount Meletus, BPBD Petaskan 40 Points In Rejang Lebong Bengkulu Disaster Prone

The joint SAR team including BPBD personnel evacuated residents using ropes and tires when the flood hit Pamukan, Subang, West Java, Tuesday 9 February 2021. (ANTARA-Novrian A)

BENGKULU - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) revealed that as many as 40 points in Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, are prone to natural disasters.

"Currently in Rejang Lebong Regency there are 40 natural disaster-prone points spread over 15 sub-districts. The potential for vulnerability of this natural disaster includes floods, volcanic eruptions, moving ground or landslides, tornadoes and forest fires," said Head of BPBD Rejang Lebong Shalahudin, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, October 18.

He explained that several natural disaster-prone points in Rejang Lebong Regency are like floods, especially in the Curup Kota District, then Sindang Beliti Ilir, Sindang Beliti Ulu and Padang City Districts.

As for areas prone to volcanic disasters, he said, with a radius of 5 km from the peak of the Bukit Kaba Volcano, namely Selupu Rejang, Sindang Kelingi and Sindang Pangkat sub-districts.

Then for landslide-prone areas, including a number of villages located on the Curup-Lubuklinggau Cross Road, South Sumatra which covers the Padang Ulak Tanding, Binduriang and Sindang Kelingi sub-districts, as well as along the Curup-Lebong Cross Road.

In addition, this landslide also often occurs in sub-districts in remote areas such as the Districts of Padang City and Sindang Pangah.

"Most of the tornadoes occur in the Districts of Bermani Ulu and Bermani Ulu Raya, and forest fires often occur in the districts of Padang City, Padang Ulak Tanding, Selupu Rejang, Bermani Ulu and Bermani Ulu Raya," he said.

According to him, currently the weather in the area and other areas in Bengkulu Province is in extreme weather which causes moderate to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning so that there is the potential for floods, landslides, tornadoes.

To anticipate the possibility of natural disasters due to extreme weather, he said, his party had alerted personnel from the Pusdal Ops, then BPBD volunteers spread across 156 villages and sub-districts, as well as supporting equipment for disaster management.

He appealed to the people of Rejang Lebong Regency to increase their vigilance by not taking shelter under trees when it rains because it has the potential to collapse, then evacuate to a safe place when it rains with heavy intensity for a long time.