4 Districts In OKU, South Sumatra, Are Prone To Landslides, Recently Causing Gaping Holes In East Baturaja

Photo via Antara.

SUMSEL - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) highlighted 4 sub-districts in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Regency, South Sumatra (Sumsel), which are prone to landslides when heavy rains arrive.

The manager of Pusdalops BPBD OKU, Gunalfi said, sub-districts with high potential for landslides during high rainfall intensity include East Baturaja, Ulu Ogan, Muara Jaya, and Pengandonan.

In East Baturaja for example. Heavy rains in the last few days caused landslides in Saung Naga on Sunday, February 26 evening. As a result, two houses almost collapsed and road facilities formed large holes due to the moving soil.

The landslide did not cause any fatalities, but residents' houses were damaged and the main road had to be temporarily closed due to fears that the subsidence would further endanger road users.

"West Baturaja District is indeed one of the areas in OKU Regency which is mapped as prone to landslides, so people must be more vigilant," he said.

Apart from West Baturaja, Gunalfi said the areas prone to landslides in OKU Regency include the Ulu Ogan, Muara Jaya, and Pengandonan sub-districts because they are located in a hilly area and close to the Ogan Watershed (DAS).

Gunalfi said the BPBD had formed a quick reaction team to deal with landslides including floods in OKU which had entered the peak of this year's rainy season.

Disaster management posts have been established in all sub-districts so that if a natural disaster occurs, it can be handled as early as possible so as not to cause casualties.

"The OKU BPBD team together with related elements also monitors the weather 1 x 24 hours and forwards early warnings from BMKG to the public to be more alert to potential natural disasters," he stated.