VIVAnews - Based on information from the The National Disaster Management Agency on Monday, Feb. 23, the Disaster Management Operation Control Center has sent a joint team to handle the fire in west Aceh.
The forest fire in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam has been blazing since Jan. 16. The fire has destroyed around 500 hectares of field and it has forced 200 families to evacuate from their residences.
The joint team arrived on Sunday, 22 February. It comprised of officials from the Disaster Management Agency, Coordinating Ministry of Public Welfare, and the Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT). The joint team departed to Aceh to coordinate the disaster management.
The fire occurred in Johan Pahlawan sub-district, West Aceh Regency. The Casa plane that took the joint team had arrived at Sultan Iskandar Muda airport, Banda Aceh. The joint team are still preparing the technical tools module for weather modification to create cloud seeding.
Fire extinguishing using artificial rain will use weather modification technique that will be accomplished by the BPPT together with the Indonesian Military. The artificial rain was planned for last Sunday but was delayed and will be executed today, Feb. 23 around 2 p.m.
The West Aceh Disaster Management Unit and local residents has isolated their residences by making gutters around their residences. The Disaster Management Unit has also already built refugee tents in Johan Pahlawan sub-district, and handed out aid.
The aid include gas mask, instant food and staples, and also building health centers with help from the local community health center (Puskesmas).
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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman
