16 Victims Of The South Coast Flash-Longsor Flood Found Dead

Heavy equipment is still cleaning up flood materials and landslides on the South Coast of West Sumatra. BETWEEN/Teddy Setiawan.

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of the South Coast of West Sumatra recorded that 16 victims of flash floods and landslides in the area were found dead and seven people are still being searched.

"Today's provisional data, the number of victims who were found dead increased from the initial 10 to 16 people. Meanwhile, seven people are still being searched," said South Coast BPBD Chief Executive Doni Yusrizal as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, March 9.

The victims found included Nagari Langgai, Sutera District, Koto XI Tarusan District, IV Jurai District, and Lengayang District.

According to him, the joint team is still working in the field to find victims who have not been found until this afternoon.

BPBD noted that as many as 46.000 residents had to evacuate due to floods and landslides. Refugee posts are spread in almost all sub-districts in Pesisir Selatan Regency.

The fulfillment of logistics for affected and displaced residents was also carried out by BPBD in coordination with the local Social Service.

"The weather is still raining this morning, then there are still some access that is cut off so it is difficult to pass. But we continue to try to open access for residents who are still isolated by boat," he said.

Other obstacles, clean water is still difficult to access to date. Electricity is cut off and the internet is still constrained.

Meanwhile, for material losses, 14 houses in Koto XI Canal District were buried by landslides, 20,004 houses were flooded, and eight bridge units were cut off.

The Pesisir Selatan Regency Regional Government has temporarily established a handling post which is currently centered at the Pesisir Selatan BPBD Office. All logistical assistance, both food and other necessities, will be distributed through the post.

As of Saturday morning, floods were still inundating almost all sub-districts, although the water level had relatively begun to decline.

The affected areas are located in XI Koto Canal District, IV Jurai District, Batang Kapas District, Bayang District, Sutera District, Lengayang District, Ranah Pesisir District, Linggo Sari Balaanti District.

Then Basa Ampek Balai Tapan District, Ranah Ampek Hulu Tapan District, Lunang District, IV Nagari Bayang Utara District, Pancung Problem District, Air Pura District, Silaut District. The worst affected area is in Koto XI Tarusan District.