Visiting Banjarnegara Landslide Victims, President and First Lady Arrives in Cilacap

Visiting Banjarnegara Landslide Victims, President and First Lady Arrives in Cilacap

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana Widodo fulfilled their promise to visit the victims of landslide in Karangkobar Sub-district, Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java.

On Sunday (14/12) at about 07.05 AM west Indonesia time, President Jokowi together with First Lady Iriana and Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto set off for Cilacap, Central Java, using a CN-235 plane.

The plane which President Jokowi used landed in Tunggul Wulung Airport, Cilacap. Then he continued his journey by car to the landslide area in Banjarnegara.

Cabinet Secretary Andi Widjajanto said that President Jokowi’s visit to the landslide area in Banjarnegara was meant to observe directly the area of the disaster which has claimed tens of lives.

“President will give directives concerning the mobilization of resources to quickly handle the disaster and to re-manage the ecosystems in landslide-prone areas,” Andi said.

The Cabinet Secretary mentioned that previously, Minister of Social Affairs Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Minister of Public Works and Spatial Management Basuki Hadimuljono, Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Syamsul Maarif, and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo have been in the disaster area since Saturday (13/12) to take emergency measures to handle the disaster.

In Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, a little while before his departure to Banjarnegara, President Jokowi himself said that the landslide occurring in Banjarnegara on Friday (12/12) reminded everyone to be always on alert. He also said that Indonesia’s geographical position makes it prone to disasters.

According to President Jokowi, many areas in Indonesia are highly prone to disasters. “There are not only 2, 3, 4, or 5 points, but there are hundreds of points in Indonesia which are prone to landslides,” he said.

President Jokowi called attention to the fact that of all areas in Indonesia, Java is the most highly prone to landslides, especially with the fact that the population growth in Java is also very high. Furthermore, there are many water-catchment areas in Java which are converted into settlements. “Java is especially very prone to landslides. Therefore, we must be on alert,” President Jokowi said.

Previously, via his facebook fan page, President Jokowi expressed his deep condolences to the landslide victims’ families.

“I express my deep condolences over the landslide which afflicted Jemblung Hamlet, Sampang Village, Karangkobar Sub-district, Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java. To Central Java Governor, Mr. Ganjar Pranowo, please take necessary measures soon to deal with the aftermath of the disaster, including facilitating evacuation processes,” President Jokowi wrote in his facebook account.

President Jokowi expected that the landslide in Banjarnegara can serve as a good lesson to everyone about the great importance of protecting the environment and keeping its balance.

Claiming 20 Lives

According to the data released by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), until Sunday (14/12) at 06.00 AM local time, the death toll from the landslide occurring in Jemblung Hamlet, Sampang Village, Karangkobar Sub-district, Banjarnegara Regency, had reached 20, while 11 people were seriously injured, 4 slightly injured, and 88 others still missing.

“Of the 20 people killed, 16 have been identified and the other 4 haven’t been identified yet. Not all of the victims killed came from Karangkobar Sub-district, because 5 of them were the residents of Pejawaran Sub-district,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Head of BNPB’s Data, Information, and Public Relations Center, said on Sunday morning (14/12).

The number of evacuees reaches 577. They were spread over 10 points. The evacuees come from Jemblung Hamlet (200 people) and other hamlets in its surroundings (377 people).

“These evacuees need aid, like food, blankets, sanitation, drugs, clothes, and children clothes,” Sutopo said. He mentioned that on Sunday (14/12), the search for victims was launched using heavy machinery. The Ministry of Public Works had operated its 10 heavy vehicles to open the roads blocked by the landslide.

About 1250 personnel forming a joint team have been helping search for the victims. The team consists of members of BNPB, the Regional Disaster Management Board (BPBD), Indonesian National Military (TNI), Indonesian National Police (Polri), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Indonesian Red-Cross (PMI), the Regional Disaster Response Team (Tagana), Regional Working Units (SKPD), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), volunteers, and local community. (WID/ES)