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