Yemris Fointuna, Kupang – Illegal logging has been blamed for Saturday's landslides and floods in Flores Island's Manggarai regency, while the death toll from the disaster now stands at 34 with 40 more people still missing.
Three days after the disaster in East Nusa Tenggara province, most relief aid from the central government and humanitarian groups remains stranded in provincial capital Kupang due to the lack of direct flights to the regency.
Planes have to fly to the town of Ende on Flores, where the aid is unloaded before a 10-hour overland trip to the regency capital Ruteng. From there it takes another day to reach the disaster sites.
East Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Frans Lebu Raya told State Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar in Kupang on Monday that based on the reports he had received, much of the forest in Manggarai regency had been stripped bare due to illegal logging. "I received this information from Manggarai Regent Christian Rotok," he said.
During the meeting, the state minister urged people to stop cutting down forests to ensure a balanced ecosystem. He blamed the extreme weather of the past several years on environmental degradation and unchecked industrialization.
"The extreme climate changes have caused a shift in the cycle of the rainy season," Rachmat said.
Heavy rain continued to hamper rescue efforts in Manggarai on Monday, while heavy equipment deployed to assist in the rescue work has had trouble reaching those areas in need because many roads were cut off by the landslides.
"Trucks cannot reach the worst-hit areas, forcing rescuers to rely on simple equipment to search for missing victims," the Manggarai regent said, adding that at least 200 military personnel have been deployed to assist in the rescue efforts.
A member of the East Nusa Tenggara disaster relief coordinating body, Jhonny Erasmus, said from Manggarai that in addition to searching for missing victims, officials were also relocating residents in landslide-prone areas.
"It's still raining very hard here, making it difficult for the team, especially with visibility at only about 20 to 25 meters due to thick smog," he said.
Some 2,000 residents in the regency's eight affected districts have been relocated because of fears of more landslides.
As of late Monday, the bodies of 34 victims have been recovered, including 33 from the worst-hit Cibal district. Rescuers have also pulled 21 survivors from the rubble.
"Six of the survivors are still being treated at Ruteng General Hospital," said the secretary of Manggarai's disaster relief coordination unit, Yos Nono.
Relief aid distribution problems, according to the head of the province's social services office, Sentianus Medi, are due mainly to lack of direct flights to Manggarai.
"There was information Monday that an Air Force Hercules plane would bring in aid from the Social Services Ministry, but because of bad weather in Flores the aid was flown to Kupang," he said.
The aid will be flown to Manggarai aboard smaller aircraft and then transported to disaster sites by land, he said.
Manggarai administration secretary Frans Leok said victims and rescue workers were in need of shelters, food, medicine and equipment.
The regency administration has received Rp 50 million (US$5,434) in cash assistance from the national disaster relief coordinating body, as well as 100 body bags, masks, gloves and medical supplies. State Minister for the Environment Rachmat also delivered Rp 50 million in cash assistance from the government.