HOLOPIS.COM, JAKARTA – Emergency response efforts are continuing after a landslide severed the only road connecting West Krayan and South Krayan districts in Nunukan Regency, North Kalimantan, leaving more than 1,500 residents isolated.
“Around 460 households, or 1,507 people across 13 villages, have been isolated,” said Abdul Muhari, Head of Data, Information, and Disaster Communication at Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Holopis.com reported, Sunday (19/7).
The affected villages include Long Pa’sia, Liang Lunuk, Long Budung, Pa’ Dalan, Pa’ Urang, Pa’tera, Pa’ Sing, Long Pupung, Pa’ Upan, Long Birar, Pa’ Kaber, Pa’ Amai, and Pa’ Ibang.
In addition to the road closure, electricity supplied by state-owned utility PLN has been limited to just four hours a day, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, in the affected area.
The Nunukan Regency Government has declared a state of emergency from July 15 to July 28.
According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue over parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, and parts of Kalimantan are forecast to experience mostly clear to partly cloudy weather, increasing the risk of drought and forest and land fires.
Abdul urged local governments and residents to remain vigilant and prepare for hazards based on local conditions.
He advised residents in wildfire-prone areas not to clear land by burning vegetation and to immediately report any signs of fire so authorities can respond quickly.
He also warned communities in landslide-prone areas to remain alert for sudden heavy rainfall, particularly in hilly regions with unstable slopes. Residents in drought-affected areas were encouraged to conserve clean water, use available water resources wisely, and coordinate with local authorities if they require emergency water supplies.
