President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center) entertains child survivors of the Sunda Strait tsunami at Kalianda Sports Hall, South Lampung, Lampung, Wednesday (2/1/2019). In Lampung, the President had a close look at the locations affected by the tsunami, visited injured victims in hospitals and visited the evacuation centers.
KALIANDA, KOMPAS -- After the end of the emergency response period following the tsunami that hit the shores of Banten and Lampung, the government will begin the reconstruction phase by building new homes for survivors. The government has targeted that survivor relocation be completed in three months.
On the sidelines of his visit to Rajabasa and Kalianda in South Lampung regency, Lampung, on Wednesday (2/1/2019), President Joko Widodo said the evacuation process would be completed soon. “We will soon enter the reconstruction phase. Locals have asked us to build them new homes soon,” the President said.
President Jokowi talked with locals during his visit to Kunjir and Way Muli villages in Rajabasa district. A majority of them agreed with the relocation plan and requested the government build them new homes. Only a few of them rejected the relocation plan due to economic reasons.
The government has decided to relocate those who used to live near the beaches and plans to reorganize the spatial planning on potentially tsunami-prone beaches. “Yes, we will relocate [locals] as they lived on tsunami-prone beaches. We’re not just talking about right now. We’re talking about 20, 30, 40 or 50 years in the future. We will reorganize the spatial planning for disaster mitigation,” the President said.
In Way Muli and Kunjir villages, 490 houses were heavily damaged due to the tsunami on Dec. 22.
Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said 2 hectares in Way Muli was available for relocation purposes. The land, located on high ground, was donated by a local. The government plans to build a new residential area on the land, with 40 percent of the land for public facilities and the remaining 60 percent for housing.
One family will be eligible for a 100-square-meter plot. The government will build a 45-square-meter house on each plot with a budget of Rp 50 million (US$3,459.38). Around 150 houses will be built on the 2 ha.
Several other relocation areas will also be provided for tsunami survivors. The South Lampung regency and Lampung province administrations are still working on the details.
Residents of South Lampung’s Sebesi and Sebuku islands will also be relocated. “I have asked the people of Sebesi island and they wished to be relocated to higher ground. They are afraid of living on the coastline. They will remain on the island but we’ll help them move to a higher location,” Jokowi said.
As for people in Pandeglang and Serang regencies in Banten, the central government is still waiting for the local administration to provide land for relocation.
The central government will also build new homes for tsunami-affected people on Banten’s west coast.
The government plans to complete the relocation of all tsunami survivors in three months.
Cracks
In a meeting at the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister in Jakarta on Wednesday, Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) head Dwikorita Karnawati said that there were new cracks on Mt. Anak Krakatau based on visual observations of new aerial images and geological analysis on radar satellite images. These new cracks may lead to more landslides and, therefore, more tsunamis.
However, Geology Agency secretary Radmono Purbo said that such cracks were common after volcanic eruptions. “There is no tsunami potential due to [cracks on] Anak Krakatau,” he said.
The differing opinions have spread confusion in tsunami-prone areas around Sunda Strait. Head of the disaster preparedness section at the Tanggamus Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) in Lampung, Fina Oktasari, said the Tanggamus regency administration would adhere to BMKG recommendations in making preparations.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) latest data on Wednesday showed that 36,923 people had fled their homes following the Sunda Strait tsunami. Fishermen in Pandeglang have not returned to work as their boats and houses had been damaged and they were afraid of subsequent tsunamis. Cigondang villager Yayat Supriyatna, 30, for instance, lost his house and found his boat damaged.
