Collapsed bridge isolates West Sumba

Collapsed bridge isolates West Sumba

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: People in the West Sumba regency on
Sumba island face isolation after heavy rainfall on Monday tore
down the only bridge connecting the regency with supplies of
basic commodities from East Sumba.

West Sumba's population of more than 300,000 people receive
their supplies of basic commodities from a port in Waingapu
located in East Sumba.

"The collapse of the bridge at Lindiwacu (river) will disrupt
access between the West Sumba and the East Sumba regencies," said
East Nusa Tenggara council member Umbu Pura Woha on Thursday.

He said the only way now for people to travel between the two
regencies was to cross the river Lindiwacu.

According to him, it will take some time before the local
administration could rebuild the bridge.

But activities like the distribution of West Sumba
agricultural products to outside the Sumba island, and the
supplies of basic commodities into Sumba will continue albeit
much more slowly, Umbu added. -- Antara