Public Works Ministry to Immediately Build Water Channels at Upper Nokilalaki River in Sigi

Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo has stated that his ministry will immediately construct water channels at a pond in the upper reaches of the Nokilalaki River, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi, following an earthquake in the area. “The anticipatory step taken immediately is to send a drone to directly observe the location of the upper pond. Naturally, as in other disaster areas, we will build a water channel,” Dody said during a visit to the earthquake location in Sigi on Sunday. He noted there are several ponds in the area that pose a potential risk of flooding and landslides. “It turns out there is a pond upstream; if there is continuous rain, we are concerned landslides and other disasters could occur,” he said. He stated that disaster points in Sigi Regency are currently being handled swiftly, and the Ministry of Public Works continues to provide support to the Sigi Regency Government and the Central Sulawesi Provincial Government. “I have instructed the Ministry’s regional office team to mitigate so that a more severe disaster does not occur in Sigi Regency. If there is potential danger, we must visit, check, and anticipate it. We do not want to regret something that could actually have been prevented,” he said. “The main concern is bridges and roads, which are the lifeline for the community. Earlier, I stood on a local bridge and when a motorcycle passed, it felt shaky, so I directed the office to also immediately check the reliability of the bridges and roads in Nokilalaki,” he added. Dody explained that cracked roads, shaky bridges, and disrupted water supply must be addressed immediately. “This all concerns their sense of safety, so I ask the team not only to look at what is damaged, but also at what could make residents anxious,” he said. According to data from the Sigi Regional Disaster Management Agency, the number of houses damaged by the earthquake in the area has reached 2,335 units, consisting of 1,955 with light damage, 226 with moderate damage, and 154 with heavy damage. The total number of victims and affected people has increased to 8,586 individuals from 2,775 families, with details of 17 seriously injured, 108 lightly injured, and three fatalities.