Andalas University Sends Doctors, Nurses to Pesisir Selatan's Disaster-hit Areas

TEMPO.CO, Padang, West Sumatra - Andalas University (Unand), on Saturday (March 16), dispatched a team of nurses, general practitioners, pharmacists, and psychologists to flood and landslide-hit areas in Pesisir Selatan District, West Sumatra Province.

"The Unand's emergency response team members will be placed in two public health centers to help locals' physical and psychological recovery efforts," Unand Rector Efa Yonnedi said.

To this end, this reputable public university's emergency response team members would help the affected children and women heal their trauma from the recent catastrophe, he said here Saturday.

By receiving the trauma healing and medical services, the residents could hopefully get recovered, and resume their activities immediately so that the disaster-hit areas' economy could also get recovered soon.

During their community service, the Unand's emergency response team personnel are equipped with necessary medical equipment and medicines, he said.

To help community members in several disaster-hit areas who still face problems with electricity and water infrastructures in the post-disaster period, Unand has also planned to send its experts from the Faculty of Engineering, he added.

The recent flash floods and landslides that hit West Sumatra had damaged many houses and public infrastructure facilities, and claimed the lives of many local residents.

ANTARA reported earlier that the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) recorded 30 deaths -- 27 fatalities in Pesisir Selatan District and three fatalities in Padang Pariaman District.

According to the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD)-West Sumatra Office's rapid damage assessment, the recent flash floods and landslides had also damaged some 3,437 houses with different severity levels.

Some 1,051 of the 3,437 affected houses suffered severe damage while the remaining 725 and 1,661 houses suffered moderate and minor damages respectively.

The affected houses were found in the disaster areas of Padang City, and the districts of Pesisir Selatan and Pasaman Barat.

The recent floods and landslides in West Sumatra also damaged public infrastructure facilities, including 41 bridges, 13 units of irrigation, and 64 road sections.

ANTARA

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