BNPB Modified Weather To Facilitate Evacuation Of Cipongkor Landslide Victims, West Bandung

Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto when giving information after visiting the evacuation post for landslide victims in Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, Wednesday (27/3/2024). (ANTARA/Rubby Jovan)

BANDUNG - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has prepared a weather modification operation to reduce the intensity of rain to make it easier to evacuate victims who are still buried by landslides in Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java (West Java).

"In collaboration with BMKG for the weather, especially this rain, we will try to reduce the use of weather modification technology," said Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, March 27.

Based on the BNPB analysis, this effort is considered effective enough to reduce the intensity of rain which is currently high, causing landslides in the area.

When the rainfall is under control, he said, the joint SAR team will be able to carry out the evacuation and search for victims properly and not be blocked by rain.

"So this weather modification operation should not rain again, that's our recommendation," he said.

He further said that until now the joint SAR team had only found five bodies of 10 victims who were buried by landslides at the location.

"Until now there have been 10 fatalities and today five bodies have been found," he said.

Meanwhile, Acting Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of West Bandung Regency, Meidi, said that due to natural conditions, the joint SAR team had difficulty finding victims in the area.

Because it is at an altitude of 150 meters, between 60-70 degrees of slope, it means it is risky. Automatically this risk cannot maximize the sophisticated tools it has. So we use the existing human force," he said.

Until now, his party is still continuing the search for the other five victims who are still buried.

"We are searching until 17.00 WIB and the next day at 07.00 WIB we are ready to return to search," said Meidi. West Bandung Regency Government (Pemkab) has declared an emergency response status for landslides for 14 days from March 25 - April 14, 2024.

The landslide disaster on Monday (25/3) caused as many as 34 buildings to be damaged, including 30 houses damaged, besides 151 families (KK) consisting of 527 people affected by the incident.