Jakarta (ANTARA) - Two Bailey bridges have been installed over the Teupin River in disaster-hit Bireuen District, Aceh, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.
“The Bailey bridges, each weighing around 50 tons, are temporary structures that can also function as permanent bridges,” he said in an Instagram post on Saturday.
He said the installation is crucial to restoring land access to several regions in Aceh and North Sumatra, including the capitals Banda Aceh and Medan.
Wijaya said the Ministry of Public Works and the Indonesian Army have worked swiftly to restore key roads affected by widespread floods and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra.
In Bireuen, he said, the government and military worked with local residents around the clock to install the bridges, reconnecting the district after floods widened the Teupin River from 100 to 180 meters.
“With the Bailey bridges in place, we expect to reopen road access in the next two or three days,” Wijaya said, stressing the need to ensure adequate routes for aid distribution during the emergency.
Earlier, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said his office would continue accelerating the recovery of key infrastructure after the disasters, which have claimed more than 800 lives. He said reopening land access remains the government’s priority to support aid distribution.
“We will provide additional heavy equipment and personnel as needed and work closely with local governments and their disaster mitigation bodies for an effective response,” he said on Thursday.
As of December 2, landslides and floods at 253 and 86 points, respectively, have disrupted national roads across the three provinces, according to the ministry.
Aceh recorded 46 landslides and 34 flood points, affecting 35 national roads and 14 bridges. North Sumatra reported 144 landslides and 20 flood points, damaging 25 national roads and four bridges.
In West Sumatra, authorities reported 63 landslides and 32 flood points, disrupting 30 national roads and damaging three bridges.
