As one of the areas most hard-hit by flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Sukajaya district in Bogor regency, West Java, Indonesia requires short-term fixes and long-term rehabilitation to repair the damage.

Heavy rains that lasted from Tuesday evening to Wednesday morning last week caused the Cidurian River to overflow, triggering landslides in at least seven different spots in Sukajaya district.

More than 4,000 Sukajaya residents have been displaced and more than 400 houses heavily damaged by floods and landslides, which also claimed at least six lives in the district.

“From what I see, Sukajaya district has suffered very heavy damage, although it’s not as bad as Lebak, Banten, and [the damage] will need long-term resolution,” Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said on Saturday while on a visit to the area.

“There needs to be massive reforestation, particularly hard plants that have strong roots that can hold back landslides and absorb water.”

Muhadjir said that residents might even have to relocate, as it may be impossible to prevent landslides in certain areas.

“[Landslides] are a big national problem . . . and from what I see landslides are caused by our haphazard use of land,” he said. “This is very heavy damage, I hope that the Bogor regency administration will handle this area seriously.”

Muhadjir and National Disaster Mitigation Agency head Doni Monardo also gave 500 million rupiah ($36,000) in ready-to-use funds to Bogor deputy regent Iwan Setiawan for restoration.

Muhadjir also said that school activities should continue during the recovery.

“If there are schools that are affected [by the floods], we will build emergency schools. If not, the students should be provided with [education] services. The important thing, as I have said to the regent, is that education activities should not stop,” he said.

“Learning has to continue, whatever the conditions. If the schools cannot be opened, then [students] can learn elsewhere,” he continued. “If there are no teachers, I ask that others take over because education is a basic service that the state must provide, whatever the conditions.”

Access to Sukajaya district is also severely limited, as the landslides have blocked off many of the surrounding roads.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had planned to visit the district via an Air Force helicopter with Indonesian Military commander Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono and Doni on Sunday, but the visit was cancelled as poor weather conditions prevented the helicopter from landing.

“The president instructed us to exert efforts to open access to the isolated villages as soon as possible so that aid can be quickly distributed,” Doni said in a release from the Presidential Press Bureau.

According to information from the Public Works and Housing Ministry, six villages in Sukajaya district have been isolated by the landslides, namely the villages of Kiarasari, Kiara Pandak, Urug, Cisarua, Cileuksa and Pasir Madang.

Since Saturday, the ministry has sent 11 pieces of heavy equipment, including six excavators and one loader, to the district to help clear the roads.

“The method is that after one way into Sukajaya is clear, the equipment will immediately be sent to the next village while other vehicles will clean up in the rear,” Basuki said, adding that he hoped to clear all the roads by next week.

Besides Sukajaya, the flooding has affected 102 other districts across Greater Jakarta and Lebak, Banten, with at least 60 dead and more than 90,000 displaced as of Sunday.

THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK