Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini Visited Hundreds Of Refugees Affected By Landslides

Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini visited hundreds of refugees affected by landslides in Gang Barjo, RT03/RW03 Kebon Jahe village, Kebonkelapa village, Central Bogor district, Bogor city, to ensure that they were safe.

Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini (second left) and Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto on Monday (October 17, 2022) visited the evacuation site prepared at Jami Nurul Ikhlas Mosque, Bogor city, for residents affected by the Gang Barjo landslide, RT02/RW03, Kebon Jahe village, Kebonkelapa village, Central Bogor district.

Accompanied by the Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya Sugiarto, the minister greeted residents at the refugee camp at Jami Nurul Ikhlas Mosque on Veteran Street on Monday afternoon, reviewed the refugee situation, and checked the availability of equipment.

"This is much better than other evacuations, which usually (use) tents. This is in a permanent place, then I also send a toilet, then close to it," she said.

The evacuation to Jami Nurul Ikhlas Mosque was better and safer than the evacuations for which the tents are generally used.

The landslides struck on the night of October 12, 2022. The minister, who immediately went to the landslide site, asked the sub-district administration to shift the refugees from the prayer room, which was close to the affected area.

At that time, the regional government coordinated with the Rizki Danoe Gordhi Foundation to shift the refugees to the Jami Nurul Ikhlas Mosque, which it managed.

The mosque is located in front of Veteran Street, which is much higher than the landslide site, and the mosque has easier access to the highway.

"Since yesterday, we have requested the head of the sub-district. Mr, this one, this one, it is really better and in my opinion the safest among the locations chosen last time. So, in my opinion, this location is the most safe," the minister remarked.

According to data from the Bogor Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, 139 people from 54 families had to be evacuated due to the landslide in Gang Barjo.

The incident claimed the lives of four people who were buried by an avalanche, while four others survived. The search for the dead extended five days until Sunday afternoon (October 16).

The landslide materials were in the form of soil and rocks, as well as large chunks from buildings. Since it occurred in a narrow alley, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency and the joint SAR Team could not bring heavy equipment to the location.

The bodies of the four victims who died in the landslide proved difficult to locate since they were buried four meters deep on average. Sniffer dogs were brought to several locations until they finally managed to help the team find the victims’ bodies.

Oleh: Linna Susanti, Mecca Yumna

Editor: Yakop