Flotim Regency Government Receives IDR 5 Billion Budget To Repair Damaged Bridges Affected By Hurricane Seroja On Adonara Island

The bridge connecting Waiwerang-Waiburak on Adonara Island, East Flores Regency, NTT (Photo: Via ANTARA)

NTT - The government of East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has received a budget allocation of IDR 5 billion to repair the bridge connecting Waiwerang-Waiburak, Adonara Island, which was damaged by tropical cyclone Seroja.

"This budget support is allocated from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) for the rebuilding of the Waiwerang-Waiburak bridge in 2022," said East Flores Deputy Regent Agustinus Payong Boli in a statement received in Kupang, Antara, Monday, February 14.

He said this was related to the construction of bridge infrastructure on Adonara Island, East Flores Regency, which was damaged by the tropical cyclone Seroja that hit NTT in April 2021.

Agustinus explained that the budget support for the bridge construction was in response to a proposal from the local government some time ago.

He explained that the damaged bridge was the main access link between Waiwerang City and Waiburak and other areas on the eastern and southern parts of Adonara Island.

The bridge, he said, was damaged by flash floods during hurricane Seroja that hit residential areas in Waiwerang and Waiburak which also claimed a number of lives.

After the incident, he said, the TNI immediately built an emergency bridge or a combat bridge that residents are still using today.

However, the size of the bridge with a relatively small width is not effective for vehicular traffic so the local government immediately rebuilds it permanently.

Agustinus said that apart from the bridge, the local government also received budget support for the construction of a road connecting Tobilota-Waiwerang-Sagu.

"Meanwhile, several other roads on Adonara Island are still waiting for the next budgeting stage from BNPB," he said.