9 Days and Still Burning: Officials Hold Joint Prayers for Rain at Jatiwaringin Landfill

Dozens of joint personnel held a prayer session at the Jatiwaringin Final Disposal Site (TPA) in Mauk District, Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Wednesday (8/7). The prayers were offered in the hope that rain would soon fall to help extinguish the remnants of a fire that has been raging for nine days without being fully brought under control. The joint prayer was held in the courtyard of the Jatiwaringin TPA Technical Implementation Unit Office during a break in firefighting operations. The spiritual activity was attended by Tangerang Regent Maesyal Rasyid, BNPB Director of Emergency Operations Control Coordination Brigadier General TNI Djohan Darmawan, as well as officers and volunteers involved in handling the fire. “On this ninth day, we have offered joint prayers so that Allah will soon send rain, so that the firefighting efforts we are making can be perfected by the rainfall,” said Tangerang Regent Maesyal Rasyid on Wednesday afternoon. Maesyal stated that the joint prayer was part of other efforts beyond the direct firefighting that has been carried out over the past nine days. “This is part of our endeavour as believers, the community, including volunteers and officers assisting the firefighting process, to remain healthy and to ensure there are no casualties,” he explained. Meanwhile, the Head of the Tangerang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Achmad Taufik, said that 30 percent of the remaining hotspots are currently in the western sector of the Jatiwaringin TPA. “Currently, approximately 30 percent remains, or around four hectares where there are still hotspots,” Taufik said at the location on Wednesday. According to him, firefighting operations are still being carried out by hundreds of joint personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the Tangerang Regency BPBD, and the Manggala Agni team from the Ministry of Forestry. Taufik explained that the handling is being conducted via land and air routes. Firefighters together with Manggala Agni are tackling hotspots from the ground, while three BNPB water bombing helicopters continue to douse areas that are difficult to reach. “The firefighting scheme and method are almost the same, it’s just that the focus of the firefighting has shifted to the western area,” said Taufik. The Jatiwaringin TPA fire has been burning since Tuesday (30/6). As of the ninth day, joint personnel are still conducting firefighting and cooling operations to ensure all hotspots are completely extinguished.