Bridge Collapses in South OKU, Isolating Three Hamlets

Access for residents of three hamlets in Simpang Sender Tengah Village, Buay Pematang Ribu Ranau Tengah District, South Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU Selatan), South Sumatra, has been completely cut off. The disruption occurred after the main connecting bridge in the area collapsed on Sunday afternoon.

Head of Emergency and Logistics at the South OKU Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Heri Pramono, confirmed the incident took place around 4 p.m. Western Indonesia Time. The bridge is suspected to have collapsed due to its ageing structure and inability to withstand the load of vehicles crossing it.

At the time of the incident, a loaded truck was crossing the bridge. Due to the unstable structure, the bridge gave way, causing the truck to fall into a ravine. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, and the vehicle has been successfully evacuated from the scene.

The impact of the bridge’s collapse is being directly felt by the community. Mobility in the three affected areas is now completely paralysed. To carry out daily activities, residents are forced to use alternative routes that are much longer and require significantly more travel time.

BPBD, together with the South OKU Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency (PUPR), has conducted a direct inspection of the site to perform a rapid assessment. The technical team is mapping the extent of the damage to prepare an emergency response scheme so that the community’s economic and social activities can quickly return to normal.

South OKU Regent Abusama has urged residents to remain calm and not attempt to cross the damaged bridge area for their own safety. The local government is committed to accelerating the reconstruction process of the infrastructure. Officers remain on guard at the site to ensure no residents recklessly cross the dangerous area while awaiting a technical solution from the PUPR Agency regarding an emergency bridge or permanent repairs.