15 Villages in NTT Targeted for Relocation

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Joint SAR officers supervise the movement of heavy equipment dredging a pile of landslide material in Waimatan Village, East Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Saturday (10/4/2021). A total of 18 dead victims have been found and eight are still being searched in the area.

KUPANG, KOMPAS — A total of 15 villages affected by landslides and flash floods in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province have been proposed for relocation. The government will prepare the relocation sites.

Of the 15 villages, 10 are located in Lembata regency, with six in Ile Ape district and four in East Ile Ape district. The 10 villages are Tanjung Batu, Lamawara, Bunga Muda, Waimata, Lama Gute, Jontona, Amakaka, Napasabok, Lamawolo, and Wuo Walar.

"Their areas is no longer suitable for habitation," Lembata Deputy Regent Thomas Ola Langoday said on Thursday (15/4/2021), when contacted in Lewoleba, Lembata.

Also read: Seroja Cyclone Victims to be Relocated soon

President Joko Widodo called for the villages’ relocation on Friday (9/4), during his visit to the disaster site in Lembata.

At present, 47 people are still missing and 250 people are injured. Up to 17,124 houses sustained severe damages.

Besides the 10 villages in Lembata, the other villages targeted for relocation are Nelelamadike on Adonara Island, one village in East Sumba, one village in Rote Ndao, and two villages in Sabu Raijua. These five villages are also prone to landslides and floods, as happened on April 4 as part of the impacts of the Seroja tropical cyclone in the southern waters of NTT.

Also read: Anticipating New Tropical Cyclone

As of Wednesday, 49,512 people had been evacuated following the tropical cyclone, which also claimed 181 lives. The increased number of evacuees and casualties was compiled after the receipt of reports from several isolated villages that had been difficult to access.

"Previously, the number of casualties was 179. At present, 47 people are still missing and 250 people are injured. Up to 17,124 houses sustained severe damages, 13,652 houses had moderate damage, and 35,733 houses had light damage,” said NTT Deputy Governor Josef Nae Soi.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Efforts to find 10 missing victims are still being carried out this week in Amakaka Village, Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Saturday (10/4/2021).

On Adonara Island, which was the worst affected by the Seroja cyclone, some evacuees are still sheltering in public facilities or staying at the homes of their families and relatives. The Aliyah State Madrasah (MAN) Waiwerang, for example, is still providing shelter to 65 households, comprising 226 people.

MAN Waiwerang is the largest emergency shelter in Adonara. Since the first day of evacuations, local youths have been volunteering at the shelter to help evacuees. The shelter has received sufficient donations of clothing.

Housing uncertainties

Food aid has come from a number of parties. The volunteers have prepared the food with the assistance of local residents. Some of the volunteers are Muslims who are fasting.

Ursula Uba, 50, one refugee whose house was swept away by the floods, is confused. There has been no further explanation from the government regarding her fate. "This is a school, so we can\'t stay here for [the long term],” she said.

Also read: Grief Strikes Adonara Island

Meanwhile, about 18 kilometers west of Waiwerang in Oyangbarang village, Wotan Ulumado district, the regional disaster management agency had not erected any emergency tents for evacuees. The 119 disaster survivors have thus decided to stay at the homes of relatives.

An emergency kitchen has been set up in Oyangbarang that is managed by volunteers. They prepare meals and then deliver them door-to-door to the houses where disaster survivors have taken shelter. The residents from neighboring villages are also helping to prepare meals.

"Everyone has family here, so there is no problem with interactions," said Yermin Tukan, 33, a volunteer.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

A house destroyed by flash floods last week in Amakaka Village, Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Saturday (10/4/2021). The recolation plan will be carried out in disaster-prone zones.

Contacted by telephone, East Flores Deputy Regent Agustinus Payong Boli said the official disaster response ended today, April 16, 2021. No decision had yet been made to extend the period of the disaster response. "It\'s still being discussed with the regent (Anton G. Hadjon)," he said.

With regard to isolated villages, the East Flores regency administration was continuing to focus on accelerated efforts to reopen access roads, such as in the districts of Wotan Ulumado, East Adonara, Central Adonara, and West Adonara.

Also read: Flash Floods Jolt Adonara

Meanwhile, teams from the disaster mitigation task force have reached a number of other isolated villages. They have evacuated survivors to relatively safer areas and distributed food aid, clothing, tarpaulin for emergency tents, medicines, toiletries, and other supplies for women and children.

We are trying to finish by the afternoon, so that vehicles can pass through in the evening.

Repair work on infrastructure has also begun, including on small bridges like the Waiburak Bridge on Trans-Adonara road, which had been cut off.

Military engineers from the Indonesian Army’s construction unit have installed a Bailey bridge.

"We are trying to finish by the afternoon, so that vehicles can pass through in the evening," Maj. Alex Yudianto, the unit commander, said on Thursday.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.