Luwu Flood Victim Boy Still In Search Of Basarnas

Photo: Antara

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has decided to divide the SAR team into five units to streamline search operations for flood victims along with missing landslides in Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi.

Basarnas Operations Director Edy Prakoso in Jakarta, Sunday, said that at least two victims were still reported missing in Poringan Village and Kaili Village, West Sulawesi District, Luwu after being hit by floods and landslides on Thursday night, May 2.

His party confirmed that the two missing victims from the two villages were girls with the initials MM (5) and UF (8).

According to him, as many as 27 personnel from the Makassar SAR Office were deployed to assist in handling the impact of the disaster, which is currently focused on finding the whereabouts of the missing victim.

The SAR team was divided into five units in order to streamline the search for missing victims due to the wide and difficult distance from the terrain.

The five SAR teams have different tasks, ranging from monitoring using unmanned aircraft or drones, sweeping the affected areas of the Infantry, to sweeping the Suli River using rubber boats.

Each of these search units also involved TNI, Polri, BNPB personnel, elements of the village district-government government, volunteers to local residents.

Edy hopes that all the missing victims will be found and handed over to their families, including the SAR team who is on duty in the search for missing victims on the third day to return safely.

Previously, the SAR team managed to find and evacuate a total of ten victims who died from Buntu Sarek Village, Latimojong, Luwu.

The identities of each victim are Rumpok (L, 97 years), Jatima (P, 55 years), Rima (P, 84 years), Muh Misdar (L, 29 years), Mawi (L, 57 years), Ambo Accung, S (P, 9 years), Kapila (L, 84 years), Nadira (P, 40 years) and Sunarti (P, 40).

Luwu Regency is the area that experienced the worst disaster impact based on reports from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Floods accompanied by landslides occurred on Friday, April 3, at around 01.17 WITA after the area was rained with heavy intensity with a long duration since Thursday, April 2.

The impact of disasters is exacerbated by the overflow of the Rongkong and Baliesae rivers.

The BNPB Pusdalops recorded that a total of 14 Luwu residents died and at least as of Saturday, May 4 yesterday morning there were a total of 1,867 housing units and rice fields - flooded residents' plantations with a water level of 1-3 meters.

Of the total number, there were 103 housing units of which were heavily damaged, 42 housing units washed away, destroying four road points, one bridge unit, including destroying 14 motorcycles and cars.