The Riau Islands Provincial Government Assessment Team Begins To Drop Analysis Of Landslide Impacts In Natuna Serasan

Illustration. Repair officers of the electricity network crossed the house affected by landslides on Serasan Island, Natuna, Riau Islands, Sunday, March 12, 2023). (Between-Teguh P)

The Riau Islands Provincial Government (Pemprov) sent an assessment team to analyze the impact of landslides on Serasan Island, Natuna Regency, Riau Islands (Kepri).

Head of the Riau Islands Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Muhammad Hasbi said the Riau Islands assessment team would synergize with assessment teams from various ministries to accelerate the process of collecting data that was used as a reference in providing assistance.

"The information and data collected by the assessment team are the basis for taking the post-disaster Serasan recovery policy," he said in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, Friday, March 17, which was confiscated by Antara.

Recovery of post-disaster conditions such as improvement or new construction of public service infrastructure, roads, electricity, telecommunications networks, and clean water facilities.

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has also allocated a budget for the construction of 100 housing units affected by the disaster.

Based on information from the Natuna Regency Government, he said, so far the houses that were destroyed by landslides were around 30 units. However, the houses that were lightly damaged and heavily damaged were about 100 units.

The construction of a decent house for this unit takes quite a long time so the victim must be patient waiting. "During the waiting period, the victims lived in refugee camps prepared by the government," he said.

According to him, around 2,200 people were not all victims who were directly affected by the disaster. Most of the residents who fled were residents who were worried that there would be further landslides at their place of residence.

To rebuild the spirit and trust of the residents, he said, geologists will convey the normal conditions of Serasan to the residents.

"There are other serious things that are part of inseparable from the recovery process of disaster conditions, namely treating people's trauma. This needs to be done immediately for their survival so that they are free from fear and can carry out their normal activities," he said.

The number of people reported missing in the landslide disaster in Serasan was 54 people, and 50 of them have been found. Meanwhile, one in 50 people found by the joint officers has not been identified.

"The government has extended the search for victims until March 18, 2023, while the emergency response period is until March 31, 2023," he said.