UNAAHA (24 August 2021) - The Ministry of Social Affairs through 2 UPTs located in Southeast Sulawesi namely Social Rehabilitation Center “Meohai” and “Minaula” Kendari synergized together to assist flood victims in Laloika Village and Wonua Monapa Village located in Pondidaha District, Konawe Regency. The flooding that occurred was triggered by the overflow of the Konaweha river due to the high intensity of rainfall for several days, as a result, the river body was unable to accommodate the water discharge which was increasing day by day.

 

Geographically, the area of ​​​​Laloika Village and Wonua Monapa Village is located in a lowland that is drained by the Konaweha river. The Konaweha River is an important source of water for the sustainability of local farming. However, almost every year these 2 villages are flooded due to the overflowing of the river whose water discharge increases during the rainy season. Therefore, the floods that hit not only caused losses in the form of submerged houses, but also livestock and agricultural land dominated by rice fields as a source of livelihood for the residents.

 

The Minister of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Tri Rismaharini, directly gave his mandate to 2 UPTs of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Southeast Sulawesi, namely Social Rehabilitation Center “Meohai” and “Minaula” Kendari to directly observe the location of the flood and pay attention to the condition of the residents affected by the flood. Meohai and Minaula teams who are members of the TRC Team moved quickly to inspect the flood location, and handed over assistance in the form of basic food packages, baby blankets, adult blankets, baby and toddler needs, as well as health checks. In line with that, the Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) was also present who provided basic food packages for flood victims. The TRC team from the Makassar Education, Research and Social Counselor Center  was also present to assist.

 

The Head of the Meohai Center, Budi Sucahyono, in his direction said that the TRC Team should be as alert as possible to the flood location to assist because the rain conditions did not subside with the Konawe District Social Service and Tagana to establish aid posts or public kitchens for flood victims in evacuation centers.

“I ordered the TRC Team to immediately go to the flood location to review and provide assistance to flood victims, most of whom had already fled. The TRC team must move quickly and work together with various parties in the field so that people in need are immediately handled. In the village of Laloika, 3 people with physical disabilities will be handled, besides that infants, children and the elderly must be checked for health, because those who are displaced are definitely vulnerable to disease. We are moving in synergy with Minaula Center as a unitary unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs UPT,” explained Budi.

Floods submerged the 2 areas, causing a total of 29 families in Laloika Village and 201 families in Wonua Monapa Village to evacuate. The number of displaced residents was 735, consisting of infants, toddlers, pregnant women, the elderly, and adults. Most of the residents fled to the Belatu Village Hall, which is located at an altitude and not far from Laloika Village and Wanua Monapa Village. Others have fled to people's homes.

TRC teams of Meohai and Minaula Centers handed over their assistance in the form of basic food packages, blankets and tents, as well as ready-to-eat food at 3 points, namely at the Belatu Village Hall which became an evacuee center for flood victims, the public kitchen post at the Wonua Monapa Village Head's house, and the public kitchen post in Laloika village organized by Tagana and the Konawe District Social Service. The aid was symbolically handed over by the Head of the Meohai Center, Budi Sucahyono, S.ST., MM and the Head of the Minaula Center, Syamsuddin, SST, MA., Ph.D. The assistance provided is expected to ease the burden of flood victims.