Indonesia: Flood emergency status declared in West Aceh

Antara 3 Dec 18;

A resident takes out chair from his flooded home at Cot Amun Village, West Aceh District, Aceh Province, in October 2018). Floods that hit 10 sub-districts in West Aceh have affected 4.653 families or 15,309 people.(ANTARA FOTO/Syifa Yulinnas/wsj).

Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, (ANTARA News) - West Aceh District Head H. Ramli MS confirmed that the district was classified as a flood emergency area, as hundreds of villages were frequently flooded from September to December 2018.

"A flood emergency status is now declared in West Aceh District, so we are in dire need of support from the Aceh provincial government and central government," Ramli remarked while visiting flood victims in West Woyla on Sunday.

On the occasion, he explained that the floods that often hit the area hindered community activities and had an impact on the local community`s property, including livestock.

The West Aceh district head noted that the sub-districts of West Woyla, East Woyla, Woyla, Samatiga, Kaway XVI, Meureubo, and Johan Pahlawan are highly prone to the flood disaster.

He pointed out that the floods had also paralyzed some transportation between sub-districts in the region due to the water levels reaching between 50 centimeters and two meters.

He said the floods that had continued to hit West Aceh District since October 2018 had also affected the local Social Service warehouse`s relief supplies that were running low.

Hence, the West Aceh district head urged the Aceh provincial government and central government to take prompt steps to handle the impacts of the floods that often hit the local area.

Reporting by M Ifdhal, Otniel Tamindael
Editing by Fardah Assegaf

Editor: Suharto