Seroja Cyclone Victims to be Relocated soon

President Joko Widodo visited victims affected by natural disasters in Lembata and East Flores regencies, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The President promised to relocate them to safer places.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

President Joko Widodo (center) saw the impact of the flash flood disaster in Nelelamadiken Village, Ile Boleng District, East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Friday (9/4/2021). The President visited two islands that were affected by the disaster, namely Adonara and Lembata.

LEMBATA, KOMPAS — The government decided to relocate residents affected by the Seroja tropical cyclone in East Nusa Tenggara to safer places. Apart from preparing land, the government will also immediately build new settlements for disaster survivors.

President Joko Widodo disclosed this decision when he visited the locations affected by the Seroja tropical cyclone disaster in Lembata and East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Friday (9/4/2021). However, the government will still ask for the community’s approval before realizing the relocation plan.

Also read: Anticipating New Tropical Cyclone

The President also held discussions with East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor Laiskodat and Lembata Regent Eliaser Yentji Sunur regarding post-disaster management and recovery, including the relocation of residents. "(For) the affected areas, I have spoken with the Governor of NTT (Viktor Laiskodat) and the Regent of Lembata. With the community\'s approval, relocation will take place as soon as possible,” said the President while visiting Amakaka village, Ile Ape district, Lembata.

The government also plans to relocate the settlements of residents affected by the disaster in East Flores. The land will be prepared by the local government and residents\' settlements will be built by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry.

Also read: Grief Strikes Adonara Island

The President, using the Indonesian Air Force\'s Super Puma helicopter, monitored the impact of the disaster when he flew from Frans Seda Airport in Maumere, Sikka, to Wonopito Airport in Lembata. Apart from destroying hundreds of houses and public facilities, flash floods in Lembata caused 163 people to die and 45 residents to go missing.

The disaster locations, which were spread across a number of islands, have prompted the government to deploy six helicopters from Frans Seda Airport to distribute aid and evacuate victims who need immediate medical attention. Helicopters were vital in Adonara, Lembata, Alor, Malacca, Sabu Raijua and Rote Ndao, because sea waves were still high so that sea transportation had not yet been operational.

DANA KEMANUSIAAN KOMPAS/SUYANTO

A number of volunteers from the Kompas Humanitarian Fund Foundation packed relief items to be distributed to residents affected by the Seroja tropical cyclone disaster in Adonara, Lembata, and surrounding areas at Gramedia Store, Maumere, NTT, Thursday (8/4/2021) night. Aid funds come from readers of Kompas.

Flowing assistance

NTT Governor Spokesperson Marius Ardu Jelamu said the number of displaced peoplee spread across 18 regencies/cities in NTT reached 48,669 people. They were scattered in 2,730 evacuation centers.

The head of the NTT Manpower and Transmigration Office, Sylvia Pekujawang, said in a logistics distribution coordination meeting in Kupang, Friday that aid had begun to flow.

Also read: Flash Floods Jolt Adonara

Sylvia, together with the head of the NTT Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office, Yusuf Adu, received 18 volunteers from PT Inalum and PT Bukit Asam, who brought two containers of medicines and three containers of staple items. The TNI (Indonesian Military) also provided five warships, including a floating hospital, to serve disaster victims. Chief of the Military Territorial Section of Korem 161/Wirasakti Kupang Col. (Inf) Seniman Zega said that his party had coordinated with all commanders in NTT to deploy 1,402 personnel to help disaster victims.

Assistance for NTT disaster victims continued to be collected and would be sent from Surabaya, East Java. The Indonesian Arek Lintang (Alit) Foundation and the Indonesian Navy\'s 2nd Marine Forces until Friday had been collecting basic necessities up to toiletries, sanitary napkins and blankets. The assistance will be handed over to the Indonesian Navy\'s 2nd Fleet Command to be sent by warship.

Also read: Tough Challenges to Access Adonara Island

Commander of the Navy Base (Lantamal) V First Adm. Mohamad Zaenal said the assistance would be carried by KRI Semarang-594 war ship which was anchored at Fleet Command 2. The KRI Semarang-594 would depart from Surabaya for NTT on Saturday (10/4).

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Residents crossed a former residential area that was lost due to flash floods a few days ago in Nelelamadiken Village, Ile Boleng District, East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (8/4/2021).

Damages at the upstream

Flash floods in Adonara and in Monta district, Bima regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), were believed to have also occurred due to nature damages in the upstream. Traces of nature damages could be seen from the marks of chainsaws on logs that were carried by the flood. There was also intact wood that was uprooted. Chunks of wood were carried away by rainwater through the dead river between Waiburak village and Waiwerang village, Adonara. "The damages are like waiting for the momentum to turn into a natural disaster. At the same time the condition of rainfall was extreme. This is a valuable lesson for us to protect nature,” said Robet Mangu, 60, a resident of Waiwerang village.

East Flores Regent Anton G Hadjon admitted that forest destruction in mountainous areas was one of the causes of the disaster. He will order the relevant agencies to map the deforested locations so that reforestation can be carried out.

The potential for moderate to heavy rain in the next 24 hours which can be accompanied by lightning and strong winds can occur in Lampung, Central Java, East Java and Bali.

The upstream areas in the southern part of Bima regency have also changed their function from forest to corn fields. It was believed that this was one of the triggers for the flash floods that hit dozens of villages in Monta and Woha districts. This could be seen in the Pelaparado Dam area, Monta district. When high intensity rain hit Bima regency last Friday, the Pelaparado Dam overflowed.

The head of the Environment and Forestry Office of NTB, Madani, admitted that the conversion of forests to corn fields was one of the causes of flooding.

Also read: Natural Disasters and Our Systemic Vulnerability

Meanwhile, The cyclone 90S source in the Indian Ocean south of Java Island grew into the Odette tropical cyclone since Friday morning. Meanwhile, the Seroja cyclone was present about 480 kilometers to the south. These two cyclones are moving away from Indonesia and have an indirect impact on weather conditions.

"The potential for moderate to heavy rain in the next 24 hours which can be accompanied by lightning and strong winds can occur in Lampung, Central Java, East Java and Bali. This potential will certainly not become as extreme as when Seroja tropical cyclone was still near NTT,” said Guswanto, Deputy for Meteorology at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). ( FRN/ ZAK/ KOR/ ETA/BRO/AIK/NTA)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.