Ministry of Public Works assesses damage to temporary housing caused by winds in North Aceh

The Ministry of Public Works (PU) has begun collecting data on the damage to temporary housing (huntara) in the Langkahan District of North Aceh Regency, which was destroyed by strong winds on Tuesday afternoon.

“The technical team from the Aceh Strategic Infrastructure Task Force, alongside PT Pembangunan Perumahan (Persero) as the executing contractor, has conducted the damage assessment,” stated the Minister of Public Works, Dody Hanggodo, in a statement received in Banda Aceh on Wednesday.

According to data from the Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA), strong winds damaged 58 temporary housing units in the Langkahan District. The damage is spread across Gampong Rumoh Rayeuk (36 units), Buket Linteung (7 units), Geudumbak (10 units), and Gampong Langkahan (5 units).

In addition to the assessment, the Minister noted that technical teams have been tasked with assisting in the removal of debris from the affected buildings and preparing emergency response measures for the residents. Dody Hanggodo further instructed the Ministry’s ranks through the Aceh Strategic Infrastructure Task Force to immediately undertake repairs to the damaged units so that the community can return to their homes safely and comfortably.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Public Works is coordinating with local government and relevant parties to establish emergency tents as temporary shelters if required during the repair process. The Ministry’s technical team is currently conducting further inspections to ensure all repairs are executed accurately, with a target completion time of one week.

For context, the temporary housing in Langkahan District is a facility built by the Ministry of Public Works through the Directorate General of Strategic Infrastructure to support disaster-affected communities in Aceh. The development, situated on land provided by the North Aceh government, covers approximately 1,440 m² and consists of five housing blocks with a capacity for roughly 60 families.