SAR Team Stop Searches For The Last Victims Of Flash Floods In OKU

The joint SAR team is searching for victims who were swept away by flash floods in OKU Regency, South Sumatra. (ANTARA/Edo Purmana/24)

The joint SAR team has stopped the search for one victim named Dedek (69) who was swept away by flash floods in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Regency, South Sumatra on Thursday, August 23. This was revealed by the Manager of the Pusdalops Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) OKU, Gunalfi, on Saturday, June 1.

Dedek is one of five passengers on the BE 7123 RH ankle that was dragged by flash floods while crossing Jalan Lintas Sumatra, Batang Hari Village, Semidang District, OKU Regency. "Four other passengers have been found dead," said Gunalfi.

The search for victims has been suspended since Thursday 30 May, after seven days of searching in accordance with Basarnas Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). "The search for victims has been carried out for only seven days since it was declared missing," he said.

During the search, the joint team searched the Ogan River in several villages in Semidang Aji District. Search efforts were also carried out on land routes starting from the location where the last body was found in Seleman Village to Kebun Jati Village, but the victim had not been found.

Gunalfi explained that the search was carried out by forming two teams using rubber boats that followed the Ogan River from morning to night. "Thanks to the hard work of the joint SAR Team, four other victims were found, but all of them were dead," he said.

Gunalfi thanked the entire team involved in the search for victims. "Hopefully what we are doing will become a charity of worship and for the families of the victims who have been left behind, hopefully Allah SWT will give fortitude," he said.