JAKARTA (Bernama-Antara): Indonesia's Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has urged to accord priority to the recovery of infrastructure and the relocation of affected residents as part of the post-flood response in Sukabumi, West Java Province, reported Indonesian News Agency (Antara).
In an official statement received here, Gibran inspected the areas affected by the flash flood in Sukabumi on Saturday.
The flash flood in Sukabumi was triggered by heavy rainfall throughout the day on March 6 and the numerous clogged waterways exacerbated the condition.
Gibran visited the Cidadap Bridge at Simpenan Sub-district, which was destroyed by the flood, leading to a fatality after a person was swept away by the floodwaters.
He inspected the destroyed bridge linking Desa Simpenan and Bojong Kopi, and interacted with the affected residents.
Following this, he examined a terminal and semi-modern market in Palabuhanratu, both of which also suffered significant damage from the flash flood.
Alongside Deputy Minister of Public Works, Diana Kusumastuti, he also checked the residents' homes, including places of worship, such as mosques and churches, which had endured severe damage.
During his visits to both locations, the vice president not only greeted residents but also distributed food packages, cleaning kits, and blankets, as well as books and toy packages for children.
Kusumastuti noted that the vice president has emphasised the need for strategic steps in handling floods, which were more severe this time than the November 2024 incident.
One of the strategies involves normalising rivers by dredging and reducing sediment to enhance water flow.
Moreover, Kusumastuti stated that Gibran advised flood-affected residents against resettling in the riverbank area to mitigate the risk of similar disasters in the future. - Bernama-Antara
