Muara Landslides The Trenggalek-Pacitan Line Is Cut Off, Many Vehicles Choose To Turn Back

The JLS route which was blocked by landslides on the dukuh road section, Ngrecak Village, Panggul District, Trenggalek, Sunday (6/11/2012)

JATIM - Access to the southern route (JLS) near the Trenggalek border with Pacitan, East Java, was cut off. Landslides were triggered by heavy rains to the estuary of the road cut off since evening of Saturday 5 November.

Secretary of the Trenggalek Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Tri Puspita Sari, said that until Sunday, November 6 afternoon, avalanche materials were still closing the road at the Dukuh Sampang section point, Ngrecak Village, Panggul District.

As a result, traffic flow on the JLS line from Trenggalek to Pacitan is totally jammed, and vice versa.

Many vehicles turn around or choose to park waiting for JLS access to open again.

Heavy equipment has been deployed to get rid of landslide materials to normalize the national road again.

"Almost nine hours of rain that flushed caused landslides and trees to fall on the "Jalan 18 Percent" section, connecting Trenggalek-Pacitan," Tri said in Trenggalek, East Java, quoted from Antara, Sunday, November 6.

He said the landslide occurred at around 5.30 WIB, about 30 minutes from the pouring rain starting Saturday, November 5, at 20.30 WIB.

As of Sunday afternoon, the cleaning of landslide material is still ongoing, drivers who want to go to the Pacitan area can pass through alternative routes via Cakul Village, Dongko District, and from the Pule District.

"At around 10:00 WIB the road can be passed normally. Drivers are advised to be careful when passing," he added.

In addition to the Panggul sub-district, landslides also occurred on village roads at the points of Jojokan Hamlet, Sawahan Village, Watulimo District.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rains that flushed the area from 20.30 WIB to 03.00 WIB.

After the landslide, joint officers and the community went straight to the disaster site for the evacuation of rock material mixed with soil materials that closed the road.