West Sumatra landslide victims to be relocated

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

People living the vicinity of Friday's landslide in Padang, which claimed 17 lives and buried at least eight people, are to be relocated.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Sunday that the government would provide Rp 1.5 billion (US$150,000) to relocate the residents of Gaung subdistrict, Lubuk Begalung district in Padang city who were affected by the landslide.

"We still have to think of many things, but we'll prioritize relocation for the landslide victims because this is about people," said Alwi, who visited the disaster site with Minister of Social Services Bachtiar Chamsyah on Sunday.

The hill collapsed onto the remote village before daybreak on Friday -- burying at least four houses and destroying a cemetery -- following two days of torrential rain that pounded the area since Thursday.

West Sumatra Governor Gamawan Fauzi, who accompanied the two ministers, said the relocation would be financed by the central government and the Padang provincial and municipal administrations.

"According to the head of Lubuk Begalung district, 60 houses are located at the foot of the hill and are at risk of landslide. All will be relocated and each house (for the relocated residents) will be built at a cost of around Rp 26 million," Gamawan said.

The provincial and municipal administrations, he said, would help construct public and other facilities at the new site.

Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar said the administration would relocate people to a location in Aiepacah, around eight kilometers from the landslide site.

"The relocation site will not be far from the residents' main source of livelihood, fishing," he said.

One resident, 35-year-old Yan, said he had no idea about the relocation plan and only had one thing on his mind: finding his three missing children. He lost his wife and his mother and father-in-law in the landslide.

"I'm thinking about my three children who are still under the mud. I want them found. I can't even think about eating, I have no appetite. I can't think about relocation now, I'm traumatized by this disaster," said the fisherman, who was in Sibolga, North Sumatra, at the time of landslide.

Rampant deforestation, tropical storms and mountainous terrain cause dozens of landslides and flash floods each year in the country, with the Padang landslide considered the second worst this year. In February, 143 people died when a massive pile of garbage in Leuwigajah dump in Bandung collapsed.