FK UII PREPARES BANJARNEGARA LANDSLIDE RESPONSE TEAM

Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java Province, which consists of mountainous and hilly areas, has long been prone to landslides which have claimed many victims. Now the disaster is repeating itself with victims reaching hundreds of people buried in landslides. The number of evacuees has also increased due to the effects of trauma from residents around the disaster area, so it is better to seek safer areas by evacuating. The transportation route to Banjarnegara, Karangkobar, Pekalongan is cut off and the only route that can still be passed by four wheels is the Madukara Karangkobar route via Pagentan Pejawaran which can take 1 hour longer than usual.

The landslide occurred at around 17.30 WIB on Friday (12-12-2014) in Sampang Village (3 km south of the sub-district city) Karangkobar District after previously being hit by heavy rain. The heartbreaking story is that a group of Karangkobar residents finished visiting their relatives at the Banjarnegara Hospital while on their way home via the road that was the site of the disaster so that the passengers of the Colt car were all killed instantly buried in the ground along with their car.

In addition, landslides also occurred in Wanayasa District, Kab. Banjarnenagara on Thursday (11-12-2014) caused the number of refugees to increase to 379 people. These refugees are scattered in Puncil Hamlet, Ds. Karang Tengah, Kec. Wanayasa 139 souls; in Wadas Hamlet, Ds. Pandansari, Kec. Wanayasa 72 souls; in Ds. Dawuhan, Kec. Wanayasa 70 souls; in Ds. Ngasian, Kec. 46 souls; and in Ds. Sijeruk Kec. Banjarmangu 52 souls. Until this second it was reported that around 36 victims had died who could be evacuated from a total of around 108 victims.

Faculty of Medicine Universitas Islam Indonesia (FK UII) by involving its alumni, students and teaching staff doctors feel compelled to help the displaced victims of the landslide disaster in Banjarnegara. Dean of FK UII dr. Linda Rosita M.Kes, Sp.PK has given instructions to the FK UII Student Medical Assistance Team (TBMM), alumni and teaching staff to go into the field as medical volunteers. The plan is that FK UII will dispatch 3 groups to the disaster location. The first batch will depart tomorrow morning, Monday 15 December 2014, accompanied by the MAPALA UII team, which has already sent a survey team and pilot team. The first team of FK UII will bring medical assistance while the next team will follow by bringing other most needed assistance such as groceries, a change of clothes/clothing, sanitary napkins, mukenah, Al-Qur'an, sarongs and prayer rugs. According to Midwife Nafiah's report, Karangkobar Health Center staff who can be contacted by the Deputy Dean of FK UII dr. Syaefudin Ali Akhmad, MSc, that many refugees still need health services, so the presence of the FK UII medical team is needed, of course, in coordination with the Puskesmas and sub-districts and BNPB. One of the UII FK doctors, Doctor Gesit, immediately responded to this opportunity. Doctor Gesit is an alumni and teaching staff of FK UII who is also a native of Banjarnegara who, God willing, will be ready at the location starting Monday morning to help and join the FK UII disaster response team. Besides that, FK UII also conducts fundraising in various faculties at UII to be distributed to those in need.

In addition to material assistance, FIAI and the UII Faculty of Psychology also intend to deploy psychologists and preachers to assist the FKUII medical team in providing psychological and religious interventions for the victims of the landslide disaster. In addition, the religious team and psychologists will assist in managing post-traumatic stress and measuring the spiritual health status of the refugees. (SAA)