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View all search resultsEighty percent of Central Tapanuli regency employees affected by disasters: Regent
Fuel and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) supply is still limited and electricity has not fully recovered, with occasional blackouts continuing.
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Residents line up to buy fuel on Thursday at a gas station in Pinangsori District, Central Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra. A landslide and flash flood limited fuel supplies after road access was cut off on Nov. 25. (Antara/Yudi Manar)
T
he Central Tapanuli regency administration in North Sumatra was paralyzed and unable to provide disaster response in the early days of flooding and landslides affecting the northern part of Sumatra because about 80 percent of its employees were affected by the natural disasters.
“We were shorthanded in dealing with the disasters because 80 percent of our employees are also victims and affected by floods and landslides,” Central Tapanuli Regent Masinton Pasaribu told reporters on Thursday.
“That is why the regency administration was constrained in managing the disasters, which affected all districts in Central Tapanuli.”
Masinton said the employees focused on saving themselves because they were also victims, especially in the first three days of the disasters.
Vice Regent Mahmud Efendi and Masinton were trapped on their way home to Central Tapanuli.
After escaping the floods and landslides, Masinton immediately spoke with his team and activated all government officials who were not severely affected by the disasters to assist residents. However, the number of personnel deployed was limited after communication lines were totally cut.
“We found it difficult to communicate with all districts and villages,” he said.
