More Than 1,000 Families And Affected Houses, Siak Riau Regency Government Consider Fix Flood Alert Status

Anggota Kepolisian Resort Siak membantu evakuasi warga lansia yang terdampak banjir di Kampung Benteng Hilir/ANTARA

SIAK - The Siak Regency Government, Riau Province is still considering setting a flood alert status in the local area. It is known that the flood caused more than 1,000 families and houses to be affected. "So far we have not carried out a flood alert status, we only have received instructions from the minister of the country to report routinely about flood disasters in their respective areas," said Siak Deputy Regent Husni Merza in Siak, quoted from Antara, Monday, November 14. The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Siak Regency noted that eight sub-districts were flooded. Most of them are in Kandis District with 1,159 people affected or 317 families in three villages, namely Belutu, Kandis and Pencing Bekulo. Then in Mempura District in Benteng Hilir Village, Fort Hulu and Merempan Hilir with 300 families of victims. Residents' houses were submerged up to one meter and the post was established for displaced residents. Furthermore, the flood also approached the residents of Kampung Mengkap and Tanjung Kuras in Sungai Apit District with a total of 198 families and then in Tualang Village, Tualang District with 166 families of victims. In addition, in Kampung Dosan and Kampung Pebadaran in Pusako District with 71 families. Also in Kampung Kuala Gasib, Pangkalan Pisang, Made II, Sanggkemang and Rantau Panjang in Kotogasib District, 32 families were affected. The other two sub-districts are Merempan Hulu Village in Siak District with 27 families. Lastly, the Lumbuk Umbut in Sungai Mandau District with 9 families of victims. Untuk itu, Pemkab Siak akan membangun posko banjir di kabupaten serta di kecamatan-kecamatan. "Ini yang lagi kita bicara tempatnya apakah di Kantor BPBD atau di mes Pemda," ujarnya. He further instructed BPBD and the Social Service (Dinsos) of Siak district to immediately distribute evacuation and logistics assistance to flood victims. Not only that, he also asked BPBD to check and monitor the condition of the community regularly. Husni admitted that the current government found obstacles in anticipating the overflow of river water discharges that did not recede, plus the continuous rain made it difficult for heavy equipment to be lowered. In addition, the topography of areas that are flooded is on average slightly low or valleys so that water from the river easily overflows. "Moreover, we have heard information from the BMKG that this November is the peak of the rainy season, yes, so we ask the public to be patient because we are also limited, especially since the equipment cannot be lowered, but we are still monitoring it," he said.