Two Temporary Bridges in Central Aceh Collapse After Flooding

Banda Aceh (ANTARA) – Two temporary bridges built by the Central Aceh Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) over the past month collapsed after flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain in the area on Tuesday (10 November).

“Heavy rain that began at 1pm local time today caused two temporary bridges to collapse, making them impassable. Several villages have been flooded and roads buried by landslides,” Iwan Ilham Abadi, head of emergency response, logistics, fire and rescue at the Central Aceh BPBD, said when contacted from Banda Aceh on Tuesday.

The flooding and landslides affected Remesen village in Silih Nara district, Pilar Jaya village in Rusip Antara district, Kede Lah village in Pegasing district, Bur Lah village in Ketol district, and Kejuruan Syiah Utama village in Bintang district.

In Pilar Jaya, residents’ activities came to a halt because the bridge—the village’s only access route—was damaged by the flood and could no longer be crossed.

In Kede Lah, several houses were flooded after the river, which the BPBD had recently cleared, was again blocked by rocks and sand.

In Bur Lah, a river cleared by the BPBD only a few days earlier was also blocked again by rocks and sand. In Kejuruan Syiah Utama, a landslide once again covered the provincial road.

“We are currently responding to the damage to infrastructure caused by the flooding and landslides, so that emergency measures can be completed as soon as possible and residents’ activities can return to normal,” he said.

He added that the Central Aceh BPBD had deployed heavy equipment to clear the rivers and repair the temporary bridges swept away by the strong current.