South Jakarta landslide kills six, seriously injures one
South Jakarta landslide kills six, seriously injures one
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Six people, including three children, were killed and one man was injured when a landslide tore through their homes in Pejaten Timur, South Jakarta following heavy downpours in the area for the past three days.
The landslide hit and destroyed four houses on Jl. Rukun at around 2 a.m. Tuesday when the residents were asleep. Seven victims were brought to Siaga Hospital for immediate treatment, but only one man survived.
For 35-year-old housewife Aminah, known as Neneng, it was surely a most tragic day as she lost six members of her family. Three of her five children, Fitrah Rachmat, 17, Sawaluddin Asri, 16, and Ade Mutia, 14, were killed in their house. Her sister, Maimunah also called, Nunung, 32, was killed in another house, located next to Neneng's. Nunung's husband Suyanto, 45, died at the hospital due to severe blood loss.
Another victim was Marhayah, 40, whose house was also hit in the landslide. Her husband, Slamet, together with their five children survived, but he still underwent serious treatment at the hospital and lost his legs.
"Slamet can recover through surgery," said Dr. Tommy at Siaga Hospital. Pejaten Timur Neighborhood Chief Said Muhammad said that prior to the incident, Suyanto had reported to him that there was a large crevice in the hillside above his house.
"I warned him that it was dangerous to stay there. I told him he should remain alert," Said told The Jakarta Post, adding that his conversation with Suyanto was held about a week ago. Aminah tried to remain stoic as her children were buried during a funeral ceremony, but she could not hide her sorrow completely. Tears soon began to fall as she met hundreds of neighbors and friends who expressed their condolences over the tragedy.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso -- who was accompanied by head of the City Public Works Agency IGKG Suena, head of the City Social Agency Endang WD and other officials in two buses -- was too late for the funeral, reminiscent of his late arrival when floods hit the toll road to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport earlier this month. He did, however, manage to give Rp 5 million (US$485) to each family to offset the costs of their change of residence and Rp 5 million more to each family that suffered casualties.
After expressing his condolences, Sutiyoso told reporters that, like other houses on the riverside embankment, the four damaged houses were built illegally.
"I have no idea why those houses were built illegally. I think because they were forced by their condition to build houses in such a dangerous area," he said, while reiterating that his administration would remain firm in clearing all the riverside areas to prevent such tragedy.
Said confirmed SutiyosoUs statement saying that those houses were built without a building construction permit, however, he added that all families living in the area pay taxes to the authority. Other officials who visited the location included Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Sunarno and former Human Rights Minister Hasballah M. Saad.
The area around the damaged houses is still in a fragile state as rain continued to pelt the earth late into Tuesday night. Several buildings located near the ill-fated houses could be damaged as well due to a new crack in the road adjacent to them.