Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is accelerating the construction of temporary housing for disaster victims in three provinces on Sumatra Island: Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.The Head of the BNPB's Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, in Banda Aceh on Thursday, informed that several disaster-affected districts and cities in the three provinces have submitted land applications for the construction of temporary housing.
"We are accelerating the construction of temporary housing in all disaster-affected areas. Work is already underway in several locations," he noted.
Muhari explained that in Aceh, construction of 12 temporary housing units has begun in the Pidie District.
"Nagan Raya District has also proposed the construction of temporary housing in several locations. Currently, land identification and suitability checks are underway," he continued.
In Aceh Barat District, the local government has identified five locations for the construction of temporary housing, while in Bener Meriah District, four locations in four sub-districts have been proposed.
"Other regions in Aceh, such as Central Aceh, Gayo Lues, and Bireuen, are also in the process of identifying and determining land suitability," Muhari remarked.
He emphasized that temporary housing construction must be on land owned by the local government.
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If the land belongs to the community or others, its status must be clear to prevent future disputes.
"After the land proposal by the local government, we will identify the feasibility, including assessing potential disasters and other matters," he continued.
According to Muhari, floods and landslides affecting three provinces on Sumatra Island had killed 1,068 people as of Thursday, left 190 missing, and displaced 538,185 others.
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In Aceh Province, 456 people had died, 31 were missing, and 506,946 were displaced. The highest number of evacuees was in North Aceh District (166,920) and Aceh Tamiang District (159,744).
The death toll in North Sumatra Province was 336, with 75 still missing. The number of flood and landslide evacuees in the province reached 21,161, while in West Sumatra, 246 died and 84 were missing. The total number of evacuees reached 9,078, with the highest number in Agam District with 4,316 evacuees.
To date, 27 districts/cities in the three provinces remain under emergency response status: 12 in Aceh, eight in North Sumatra, and seven in West Sumatra.
