BNPB Simultaneously Tackles Drought and Tidal Waves in East Seram, Maluku

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has confirmed that emergency management to address the impacts of dual disasters, drought and tidal waves, in East Seram Regency, Maluku, is now underway simultaneously. Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Communication Centre, Abdul Muhari, stated in Jakarta on Friday that this synchronised management approach is being implemented to accelerate physical recovery and meet the basic logistical needs of affected residents. “We are conducting identification and rapid assessments, coordinating with government officials, and distributing water tanks and clean water,” he said. Abdul explained that the East Seram Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency’s (BPBD) rapid response teams have been evenly deployed to critical points to carry out rapid assessments, damage identification, and the distribution of operational aid. In the drought management sector, tactical measures are focused on the regular delivery and supply of daily clean water for tens of thousands of residents whose wells and river flows have drastically dried up. The seven priority areas for emergency clean water distribution include the administrative regions of Bula, West Bula, East Seram, Gorom Island, East Gorom, Kesui Watubela, and Teor Districts. Meanwhile, emergency management is also focused on restoring coastal areas hit by tidal wave disasters, influenced by increased wind speeds from the eastern monsoon. Management in this coastal area includes protective measures for 1,070 affected residents, as well as structural data collection on hundreds of residential buildings reported to have been damaged by large waves. Based on emergency recapitulation data, the tidal waves damaged 207 residential units, with details of 53 units categorised as heavily damaged and 154 other units categorised as lightly damaged.