BPBA: Seven sub-districts in Southeast Aceh hit by floods
The Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) has reported that 13 villages across seven sub-districts in the Southeast Aceh Regency have been submerged by floods following heavy rainfall since Saturday night (26/9).
“The high rainfall in Southeast Aceh has caused a significant increase in the water levels of the Lawe Kisam and Lawe Kinga rivers, leading to overflows into residential areas,” stated the Head of BPBA, Bahron Bakti, in his report in Banda Aceh on Sunday.
He noted that the affected areas include the villages of Terutung Megara Lawe Pasaran and Kisam Gabungan in the Lawe Sumur sub-district; Maha Singkil in the Bukit Tusam sub-district; Terutung Seperim, Pancar Iman, Kuta Seri, Bambel Gabungan, and Lembah Haji in the Bambel sub-district; and Kati Maju in the Ketambe sub-district.
Additionally, the floods have hit Mbarung and Batu Mbulan I in the Babussalam sub-district; Simpang Empat Tanjung in the Darul Hasanah sub-district; and Pulonas Baru in the Lawe Bulan sub-district.
“This flood disaster has affected 52 families, or 203 individuals. There have been no casualties or displaced persons,” he said.
Bahron mentioned that the floods have destroyed approximately 40 hectares of agricultural land in Terutung Megara Lawe Pasaran and surrounding areas, as well as 10 hectares of paddy fields in Kisam Gabungan.
Furthermore, the Kutacane - Blangkejeren road in Kati Maju, Ketambe sub-district, has been buried by landslides, and PLN electricity poles have been knocked down.
The breach of the Lawe Kisam river embankment has also caused water to overflow into residential areas in Terutung Megara Lawe Pasaran and Pancar Iman in the Bambel sub-district.
Emergency connecting roads and the Natam-Simpang IV Tanjung bridge, as well as the Mbarung bridge which serves as access to the Lawe Alas sub-district, are currently impassable after being eroded by the river.
Moreover, the bridge approach at Mbarung Datuk - Lawe Sikap has collapsed, meaning the bridge is currently inaccessible to four-wheeled vehicles.
“The road from Pulonas Baru to Lawe Rutung has also suffered erosion due to the Lawe Bulan river current, spanning approximately 50 metres. Additionally, parts of the road on the Biakmuli steel truss bridge (a national bridge) appear to be sinking,” he added.
Bahron added that the current response measures by the Southeast Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) involve deploying Rapid Response Team (TRC) members to the locations to conduct data collection.
Furthermore, one excavator unit is being deployed to repair the embankment and normalise the Lawe Kisam river in Pancar Iman, Bambel sub-district.
“BPBD TRC officers are also continuing to clear fallen trees that are blocking the Kutacane-Blangkejeren national road (Tanjakan Gurah Ketambe),” concluded Bahron Bakti.