MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, BENGKULU – Muhammadiyah continues its humanitarian efforts across disaster-hit areas in Sumatra. In North Bayang District, Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatra, the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC) Bengkulu, together with local community groups, has been working to rebuild the foundation of a bridge destroyed by flash floods and landslides.
Budi Santoso, Deputy Secretary of MDMC PP Muhammadiyah, explained that the damaged bridge serves as a vital route. It connects Pancung Taba Village with neighboring areas and functions as the main access point for delivering logistics to displaced residents.
“The severe damage to the bridge has significantly disrupted mobility, affecting evacuation efforts, aid distribution, and the daily activities of the community. Restoring the foundation is a priority to ensure the route becomes safely accessible again,” he said in a statement received Monday (10/12).
Several community groups and institutions joined the effort, including UKM Kyai Sudja, Muhammadiyah University of Bengkulu, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and residents of Pancung Taba. Around 50 personnel were deployed from MDMC Bengkulu volunteers, UKM Kyai Sudja teams, UM Bengkulu volunteers, approximately 30 TNI members, and members of the local community.
“Rebuilding the bridge foundation is an emergency-access recovery measure that will allow smoother distribution of logistics and support the return of community activities that had been interrupted. The collaboration between volunteers, the TNI, and residents is the core strength enabling the work to be completed quickly and safely amid challenging terrain,” Budi added.
In addition to bridge restoration, Muhammadiyah’s service post in Pancung Taba continues to run post-disaster disease prevention education, psychosocial support for children, and assistance for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Urgent needs still include food supplies, baby essentials, hygiene kits, and repairs for educational facilities and public infrastructure.
According to the latest situation report from the Pancung Taba post on December 8, the floods and landslides caused extensive damage across the village: 248 homes affected, educational facilities and fishery units damaged, and several shared community enterprises disrupted. A total of 1,238 residents have been affected, and basic services still require reinforcement.
MDMC continues to provide psychosocial support, hygiene and sanitation education, assistance for vulnerable groups, and ongoing assessments of community needs.
“The collective effort to repair the bridge reflects Muhammadiyah’s commitment to accelerating recovery in areas impacted by floods and landslides in West Sumatra. Through coordination between residents, government agencies, and Muhammadiyah’s various networks, we hope the recovery process progresses more quickly and gradually restores access to essential community life,” Budi said. (Janu) (Translated by Bintang Adrian)
