Ambruk Hit By Floods, Maluku BPJN Proposes A Budget Of IDR 9 Billion For Repair Of The Way Kawanua Bridge

Commission III of the Maluku DPRD held a working meeting with the Maluku BWS to discuss the progress of handling the repair of the Way Kawanua Bridge which collapsed due to the flood on July 9, 2023. (2/11) (ANTARA/daniel/)

MALUKU - The Maluku National Road Implementation Center (BPJN) has proposed a budget of Rp. 9 billion to the Ministry of PUPR for the repair of the Way Kawanua Bridge in Central Maluku Regency. This bridge collapsed due to the overflow of large floods last July. "This budget has been proposed and we are still waiting for approval from the ministry," said Head of the Maluku BPJN Region II Working Unit, Toce Leuwol in Ambon, quoted from Antara, Friday, November 3. Toce's explanation was conveyed after a working meeting with Commission III of the Maluku DPRD led by Richard Rahkabauw. According to him, the Way Kawanua Bridge revitalization process is currently being carried out using the disaster management budget from BNPB. The construction process is still ongoing and is currently being carried out in the form of designing three poles out of a total of 17 bridge poles. Meanwhile, the Head of Operations for the SDA Center for the Implementation of the Maluku National Road, Muchlis Lumaela, explained that the collapse of two spans of the Way Kawanua Bridge on July 9, 2023 was due to the high intensity of rain which reached 211 millimeters at that time. "Three days before the collapse of two bridge center spans, the intensity of rain reached 110 millimeters and the next day it fell to 70 millimeters and rose again drastically on July 9," explained Muchlis. It is said, more than 300 meters from the bridge to the upper reaches of the river, there are two dams in the area, but around the riverbank there are garden areas belonging to residents that need to be cleaned.

Then the damage to the two bridges was also caused by fallen trees or log wood that were swept away by the flood. So cross-sectoral coordination is needed such as the Forestry Service and PUPR to jointly maintain the safety of bridges, both controlling logging activities and dredging sediments.