Social Affairs Minister Risma Observes Sigi Flood | September 7, 2022

The Ministry of Social Affairs distributed assistance to Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi Province in amount IDR878 million after being hit by floods on Tuesday (6/9). The aid was handed over directly by the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini, during a visit to flood-affected locations, today (7/9). Since the flood disaster was reported, the Ministry of Social Affairs has sent emergency logistical assistance for the basic needs of affected residents who were pushed from the Nipotowe Center Warehouse in Palu to the Sigi Regency Social Service.

The assistance includes 1,000 packages of ready-to-eat food, 504 packages of children's food, 300 packages of ready-to-eat side dishes, 200 sheets of blankets, 200 mattresses, 200 sheets of mattresses, 25 packages of adult clothing, 100 packages of baby clothing, 200 packages of Pampers, and 100 sanitary napkins. package.

Responding to the flood disaster and its impact on meeting the basic needs of residents, the Minister of Social Affairs has also prepared six social granaries in Sigi Regency. The six social barns, said Risma, will be filled with buffer stock needs and distributed to several points so as to allow residents to survive with the existing logistics, even though roads are cut off.

After the flood hit Sigi Regency, the Minister of Social Affairs considered the need for special handling of river water management from upstream to downstream. MoSA has coordinated to work on the embankment with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), which is also in the same location to map the impact of flood damage.

As is known, the flood hit Pakuli Village, Gumbasa District, Sigi Regency, on Tuesday (6/9) at around 04.00 WITA due to the high enough rain intensity so that the embankment was unable to accommodate the river water discharge and submerged the residents' settlements. The rush of water from upstream to downstream, at least, caused 182 families/662 people to be forced to evacuate because 2 houses on the banks of the river were washed away, dozens of other houses were submerged in knee-deep water, and a bridge collapsed.