To Prevent Abrasion and Tidal Flooding, Water Resources Sub-agency Repairs Seawall on Pramuka Island

The Thousand Islands Water Resources (SDA) Sub-agency is repairing a seawall on the northeast side of RT 03/RW 04, Pramuka Island, Panggang Island Urban Village, North Thousand Islands, in an effort to anticipate abrasion and tidal flooding. “This effort is being made to anticipate abrasion and tidal surges that frequently occur in the area,” said Head of the Thousand Islands SDA Sub-agency, Frans Agustinus Siahaan, in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to him, the repairs are being carried out by normalising the embankment, which has suffered damage from abrasion and the pounding of sea waves, exacerbated by the high intensity of tidal waters. Frans stated that the work includes the construction and repair of a 50-metre-long seawall, with personnel strengthening the structure to withstand the rate of abrasion. The seawall is being built with a bottom width of 70 centimetres, a top width of 35 cm, and a height of 1.2 metres. Its construction uses reinforced concrete pillars with iron bars 12 millimetres and 8 millimetres in diameter, installed at eight-metre intervals to ensure structural strength. “The top of the seawall is also being cast with concrete to make it sturdier. Besides functioning to hold back abrasion, this seawall can later also be used by residents and tourists as a seating area to enjoy the beach view,” he said. Around 11 personnel from the SDA Sub-agency’s Blue Troops have been deployed for the work. The repairs, which are being done manually, began on 9 June and the progress has currently reached approximately 80 percent. Frans hopes the work can be completed by the end of next week, thereby providing more optimal protection while increasing comfort for the community and tourists. Meanwhile, the Head of RW 04 Pramuka Island, Titin, supports the repair because it can prevent tidal flooding, which has been quite high recently. “Hopefully, after the seawall is finished, the environment will be more organised, and tourists will be more comfortable visiting Pramuka Island,” he said.