BNPB: Emergency Situation After Strong Winds in Jember Gradually Improves

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the emergency response to strong winds in Jember Regency, East Java, was now under control and conditions were gradually improving following a series of emergency response efforts.

Berton Panjaitan, acting head of BNPB’s Centre for Disaster Data, Information and Communication, said in Jakarta on Wednesday that conditions in the affected area were safe and calm for residents, according to reports received by the agency’s operations control centre.

“Local residents and joint response teams are working together to repair damaged homes, while fallen trees that had blocked roads have been completely cleared,” Berton said.

He added that the electricity supply, which had been disrupted, had returned to normal. A communal kitchen had also distributed 675 meal packs to support residents’ collective clean-up and repair work.

Earlier, extreme weather comprising moderate rainfall accompanied by strong winds was reported in Sumbersalak Village, Ledokombo District, Jember Regency, East Java, at 1.30pm local time on Sunday (8 November).

The extreme weather directly affected about 231 households, injured five residents and damaged 231 homes, with the damage ranging from minor to severe.

Physical damage also affected public facilities: six places of worship and one educational facility sustained minor damage, one PLN electricity pole collapsed, and about 20 trees fell at various locations.