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Natural disasters damage 58 Cianjur schools
The regency administration as well as the local disaster agency are working together to manage the impacts of series of natural disasters, including flooding, landslides and a minor earthquake, through measures such as online learning, home repair assistance and planned relocation in up to 18 affected districts.
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A police officer stands guard on Dec. 5, 2024, at a house that collapsed due to ground shaking in Cianjur regency, West Java. (Kompas.com/Kadupandak Police Sub-precinct)
N
atural disasters over the past two weeks have damaged 58 elementary schools in 11 districts across Cianjur regency, West Java, an education official said on Tuesday.
Most of the damage occurred in Cibeber district, where 25 schools were affected by a magnitude 3.0 earthquake at the end of November. Meanwhile, damage to schools in other districts in southern Cianjur were caused by landslides and flooding that struck on Dec. 4.
"Most of the damage is severe, such as collapsed roofs and cracked walls and floors. The estimated losses amount to tens of billions of rupiah, including damage to school furniture and equipment, particularly due to flooding," said Aripin, head of elementary schools at the Cianjur Education, Youth and Sports Agency, as quoted by Kompas.com.
SDN Cibungur I elementary school in Agrabinta could be relocated after the district was hit by floods on Wednesday, he added, in line with plans to resettle residents of villages affected by the disaster.
"According to our sources, villages in the area will be relocated. If the residents move, then the school must also be relocated to ensure [...] access to education," said Aripin.
The education official said learning activities were being conducted online as an emergency measure. In the event of connectivity issues, offline learning would be held outside classrooms.
Aripin also urged schools to prioritize the safety of students and teachers, while expressing hope that the affected schools would be repaired promptly so learning activities could return to normal.
According to data from the Cianjur Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), natural disasters have struck 27 areas in 18 districts, including Kadupandak, Cijati, Tanggeung, Agrabinta, Sindangbarang and Leles.
The regency administration has made assurances that affected residents would soon receive assistance to repair their homes.
Nurzein, head of rehabilitation and reconstruction at BPBD Cianjur, said the amount of aid would be adjusted according to the extent of damage in coordination with the regency’s Housing, Settlements and Land Agency to determine the level of damage.
"The assistance for severely damaged houses is set at Rp 60 million [US$3,776], moderately damaged houses at Rp 30 million and minor damage at Rp 15 million," he said during a phone interview on Monday evening, as quoted by Kompas.com.
