Transportation paralyzed in Jambi

JAMBI CITY, Jambi: A landslide hit a village in Kerinci regency, paralyzing traffic between Jambi and Sungai Penuh, the regency's capital.

People traveling from Sungai Penuh to Jambi and visa versa have to take the Trans-Sumatra highway bypassing Solok in the neighboring province of West Sumatra, which costs them twice as much as the regular fare.

A staff of the local transportation office in Sungai Penuh said on Wednesday that the landslide was caused by incessant rain on Monday, which caused dirt and rocks to cover and damage two sections of the road.

Herman, a driver of a passenger bus plying the Jambi-Kerinci route, said that it took him 15 hours for the trip, five hours longer than usual, and passengers were charged Rp 125,000, instead of the regular fare of Rp 50,000.

The traffic between Jambi and Sungai Penuh was expected to return to normal on Thursday after the Kerinci administration deployed necessary equipment to repair the damaged road. --JP