700 Houses Along Tiku Agam Beach, West Sumatra Are Threatened By Abrasion

Abrasion conditions in Jorong Masang, Nagari Tiku Lima Jorong, Tanjungmutiara District, Agam Regency. (Antara/Yusrizal)

AGAM - Around 700 housing units in Nagari Tiku Lima Jorong, Tanjungmutiara District, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, are threatened by seawater abrasion due to tidal waves hitting the area.

Secretary of Nagari Tiku Lima Jorong, Anaswar, said that the 700 housing units are spread out in Jorong Muaro Putih about 400 units and Jorong Masang 300 units.

"The settlement in Muaro Putih is the second village, because decades ago their village was also destroyed due to abrasion," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 2.

He said the 700 housing units were about 300 to 400 meters from the beach and previously about 1.5 kilometers.

This happens because abrasion occurs almost every year and in the last week about 15 meters of land were eroded by tidal waves, with a length of four kilometers.

"From 2021 to August 2, 2022, about 50 meters of land have been eroded by tidal waves," he said.

With this condition, coconut and oil palm plantations owned by residents and plasma were damaged due to abrasion.

In addition, fishermen's boats were also damaged after their boat's berth location was eroded by waves.

To respond to this, the community every year proposes the installation of breakwaters during development planning deliberations.

Then also submit a proposal for the installation of a breakwater to the Sumatra V River Basin Center, Director General of Water Resources, Ministry of PUPR.

"We have given the proposal five times, but have not yet received a response," he said.

Previously, the Head of the Agam Public Work and Spatial Planning Agency, Ofrizon, said that the Agam Regency Government had repeatedly submitted proposals for the construction of a breakwater to the Sumatra V River Region Hall, but had not received a response.

"We have submitted proposals several times and have also visited Commission V of the DPR-RI," he said.

Currently, the length of the shoreline that has not been installed with breakwaters is about three kilometers from Muaro Putih to Masang along 1.5 kilometers and Ujuang Labuang to Muaro Antokan along 1.5 kilometers.

"Installation of breakwaters is very urgent, so that the threat of land erosion by sea water is overcome," he said.