Report: Lack of Forest Causes Landslide in Banjarnegara
16 December 2014 10:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Banjarnegara legislator Darori Wonodipuro said that the landslide happened in Jemblungan, Sampang Village, Karang Kobar District, Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java, on Friday is caused by thin layer of soil. Moreover, Darori added, some of the land in the hamlet located on a valley had been turned into farmland.
“Areas in Karang Kobar toward Pekalongan are valleys,” said Darori when contacted on December 13.
The former Director of the Forest Protection and Nature Conservancy Unit of the Forestry Ministry said that the nature of the landslide in Bajarnegara is similar to that happened in Cijeruk, Bogor, in 2006, which was caused by increasing water volume.
He urged people who live on the valleys to flee for protection if rain does not stop for full six hours.
“People should be aware of possible landslide and flood,” he said.
According to Darori, at least 10 spots in Banjarnegara, Magelang, Purbalingga, Cilacap, Wonosobo, Banyumas and several other places in East Java are prone to landslide. He said that forest availability on Java Island is only 10 percent while minimum availability required to hold rain water is 30 percent.
The landslide in Banjarnegara, Central Java, had buried tens of houses and killed at least 17 people. At least 100 people are reportedly missing.
LINDA TRIANITA