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View all search resultsAuthorities to divert water flow to two regencies as Aceh “sinkhole” grows
The flow of water from upstream areas is one of the factors triggering the widening of the sinkhole.
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A large land subsidence reaches the road on Feb. 6 in Pondok Balik village in Ketol district, Central Aceh regency, Aceh. Although colloquially called a sinkhole, technically the collapsing land is not a sinkhole due to different soil structure. (kompas.com/Iwan Bahagia)
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uthorities in two regencies in Aceh plan to divert water from upstream areas as an emergency response to a massive ground collapse in Central Aceh, as officials race to prevent further damage and restore access for affected residents.
The collapse in Pondok Balik village, Ketol district, has been widely described by residents and local officials as a “sinkhole,” although geological experts say the phenomenon is technically a landslide occurring in fragile volcanic soil.
Central Aceh Regent Haili Yoga said water flow from upstream areas had been identified as one of the key factors accelerating the widening of the collapse.
“We have found the source of the problem and today we will handle it together as a short-term measure,” he said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com.
“The aim is to manage the water flow so it does not worsen conditions in Pondok Balik village while ensuring that residents in both regencies continue to have access to water.”
Northern Sumatra Post-Disaster Emergency Management, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force head Arie Setiadi Moerwanto said water flow management would be done by repairing dams and sluice gates to control water distribution.
“First, we will fix the dams and sluice gates so we can control the water sufficiently,” he said when inspecting the location on Monday.
