PRR Task Force Head Appreciates Swift Response of Sinkhole Handling Team in Central Aceh
Head of the Post-Sumatra Disaster Acceleration Task Force for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR), Muhammad Tito Karnavian, directly inspected the site of a sinkhole or massive hole formed by geological landslides in Desa Pondok Balik, Ketol Subdistrict, Central Aceh Regency, Aceh.
Tito aimed to ensure that the sinkhole or massive hole does not expand further and erode residents’ land, considering that the Aceh region is in the post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
Attentively, Tito observed a detailed explanation regarding the landslide conditions around the massive hole from the sinkhole landslide handling team assigned by the Ministry of Public Works (PU).
“Is it stable enough (at several monitoring points)? How to prevent the water from continuously flowing (into the hole)?” Tito stated in a written remark on Thursday (23/4/2026).
After hearing the explanation which relatively showed progress, Tito provided support and appreciation to the entire sinkhole landslide handling team in Central Aceh who have been working hard to manage the landslide so it does not expand further and threaten residents’ land.
Acting Head of the Central Aceh National Road Implementation Centre (BPJN) Aceh, Yusrizal Kurniwan, appreciated Tito’s attention in directly inspecting the massive hole conditions as well as the landslide handling progress to prevent further expansion and erosion of residents’ land.
Yusrizal explained that the geological landslide forming the massive hole was created by successive landslides, causing the subsided soil to expand further.
“It should also be noted that this occurred due to sandy soil conditions,” said Yusrizal.
Yusrizal conveyed this on Monday (20/4). He then revealed that his side has implemented various scenarios to prevent the landslide from expanding.
Among them, by diverting routes and modifying irrigation to more stable land sections so that water is not concentrated on the landslide hole which could trigger follow-up landslides.
“In addition, we also created (wells) interceptors. The purpose is to drain out the water saturated in the landslide and also to create a new irrigation system,” he said.
Yusrizal stated that the hole’s condition now rarely experiences landslides and only one point remains as the focus from the initial five monitoring points. He targets that in the near future, the conditions around the landslide will be much more stable and not threaten residents’ land.
“Hopefully it can be permanently stable so it does not disturb the people here. As a result, the community can continue farming chilli and coffee,” said Yusrizal.
For information, Tito’s visit to Central Aceh is part of a series of agendas to review post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction progress, as well as monitor the latest developments of disaster survivors in Aceh.
On that occasion, also present were the Director General of Regional Administration Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs Safrizal Z. A., Deputy Governor of Aceh Fadhlullah, Regent of Central Aceh Haili Yoga, and the ranks of the Forkopimda throughout Central Aceh Regency.