Newly Elected West Sumatra Governor and Deputy Visit Disaster Areas
Jakarta. Newly elected West Sumatra Governor Irwan Prayitno and his deputy Nasrul Abit on Sunday (14/02) visited South Solok and Limapuluh Kota – two of the province's districts worst affected by the recent floods and landslides.
Heavy rains since Feb. 5 contributed to the floods that have triggered landslides in 10 districts throughout the province last weekend. Pasaman district also suffered heavy damage.
“I am checking on the residents of South Solok, while my deputy [Nasrul] is in Limapuluh Kota. The disasters have cost [financial losses of approximately] Rp 100 billion [$7.4 million]. We are now focusing on how to distribute emergency aid to the affected residents,” Irwan said in the provincial capital Padang on Sunday, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.
The aid provided includes instant food, medicine, clothes and children’s necessities such as infant formula.
According to North Sumatra Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) chief Zulfiatno there are several areas in both South Solok and Pasaman districts that are still inaccessible due to damaged roads. He gave no further details.
“The National Disaster Mitigation Agency [BNPB] therefore sent us a helicopter to help reach these isolated areas by air. Before the chopper arrived, we distributed emergency aid by motorcycle. Based on the temporary data, there are about 8,000 people living in those areas,” Zulfiatno said.
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