Kapuas Hulu West Kalimantan Has 100 Tons Of Rice Reserves But Don't Know The Amount For Flood Assistance

Residents affected by flooding in Barak Bay, South Putussibau, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan, used a boat, Monday 27 November 2023. (ANTARA-Teofilusianto T)

KALIBAR - Kapuas Hulu Regency has 100 tons of rice reserves that are ready to be used for disaster management assistance, including the floods that have hit Kapuas Hulu recently.

"The government's rice reserves (CBP) are 100 tons ready at the Bulog Putussibau warehouse for disaster management," said Head of Perum Bulog Putussibau Sub-dept. Azwar Fuad in Putussibau, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan (West Kalimantan), Friday, December 1, confiscated by Antara.

However, Azwar emphasized that Bulog Putussibau only facilitated the storage of the rice in the warehouse.

"If the local government through the relevant agencies requires the rice for disaster management, we are ready to remove it from the warehouse as requested," he said.

Furthermore, the Head of Prevention and Preparedness of the Kapuas Hulu Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Yanto Susanto, explained that his party is currently collecting data on flood-affected areas in Kapuas Hulu.

"If indeed we have received reports from villages or sub-districts that are valid regarding new floods, we will take steps such as distribution of aid such as rice stocks available in Bulog as well as a number of snacks and basic necessities of assistance from the province according to data from sub-districts and villages," he said.

It's just that, said Yanto, his party experienced problems which became an obstacle because the sub-districts and villages affected by the flood did not immediately submit the latest reports.

"Even though we have arrived in advance for an early circular and warning and a disaster reporting format because what is needed is accurate data from villages and sub-districts that occur in disasters such as floods," he said.

Yanto said that until now only two sub-districts have reported flood conditions, namely Pengkadan District and Bika District.

He explained, for details, the floods in Pengkadan Subdistrict hit Riam Panjang, Mawan and Pengkadan Hilir villages.

Meanwhile, floods in Bika District occurred in Bika, Bika Hulu, Pengluang, Nanga Manday, Jelemuk, Jongkong Manday and Melapi Manday villages.

He said of the two sub-districts, there were 5,030 people out of 1,678 families, as many as 78 public facilities affected by the flood, even 1,105 houses were flooded.

"The condition of the tidal flood has receded, a number of areas have receded, but due to the rainfall the water discharge has increased again with an average depth of 80 to 1.5 meters," he said.

Yanto again reminded the people of Kapuas Hulu to increase their vigilance regarding floods, landslides and strong winds or tornadoes.

In addition, the sub-district heads and village heads must immediately submit reports related to disaster data and conditions in their respective regions.

"Currently, the intensity of rainfall is quite high, even the BMKG has issued an early warning that we have followed up with an early warning letter and circulars to each sub-district and village," said Yanto.

Based on observations, floods again hit a number of lowlands in Putussibau City and its surroundings, such as in Barak Bay, Kedamin Hilir and Tanjung Jati sub-districts, South Putussibau Subdistrict, then the Dogom area, North Putussibau District, and a number of villages on the coast of Kapuas river waters.

The current condition is that the water depth is on average 50 to one meter in the lowlands.