Musi Rawas Utara, KOTABARI.COM – North Musi Rawas Regency (Muratara), South Sumatra, is once again hit by a severe flood affecting dozens of villages across six sub-districts. This event is reminiscent of a major flood that occurred 30 years ago, revisiting the local residents with a sense of deja vu.
Sub-district head of Rupit, Mukhtaridi, recalls the last occurrence of such flooding around 1992 and 1995. Local resident Sa’ban confirms that the current flood is comparable to the one in 1995, even though the region experiences annual floods.
Approximately 20,000 homes have already been inundated, forcing residents to evacuate. Despite the local government establishing evacuation posts, many residents opt to seek refuge in the homes of their relatives that remain unaffected, given that most houses in the area are built on stilts.
The flood, which began on Wednesday (10/1/2024) starting from Ulu Rawas Sub-district, is a sequel to the flood last week that affected four sub-districts. Suhardiman, the Coordinator of the Muratara Regency Flood Command Post, revealed that the flood has submerged approximately 20,000 residential units. The impact has also affected public facilities and severed connecting roads between villages and sub-districts.
Seven suspension bridges have collapsed due to the overflow of the Rupit and Rawas rivers, while two houses were swept away in Pulau Kidak Village, Ulu Rawas Sub-district. Health facilities have been hit, with 40 units, including a community health center (Puskesmas), 10 integrated health posts (Pustu), and 29 sub-village health posts (Polindes), submerged in water. A mobile clinic and emergency medical posts have been set up in elevated areas for accessible healthcare services.
This disaster has also impacted the education sector, with 28 schools submerged, comprising 20 elementary schools (SD) and 8 junior high schools (SMP). Zazili, the Acting Head of the Muratara Education Agency, recommends that school administrators temporarily suspend teaching activities, considering the difficulty in finding safe alternative locations.
Deputy Regent of Muratara, Inayatullah, emphasizes that emergency response efforts and disaster impact mitigation are underway by the local government. In collaboration with various agencies, prompt assistance and rehabilitation are expected to be provided to help the affected residents.