Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Police (Polri) has established a joint task force to respond to potential natural disasters during the year-end holidays, according to its chief, Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
"We have prepared personnel to anticipate high-intensity rainfall that may trigger disasters. In this regard, the police established a special task force under Operation Lilin 2024," he said, referring to the special operation for securing Christmas and New Year holidays.
In a statement issued on Friday, he explained that the special task force comprises personnel from other state institutions, including Polri, the Armed Forces (TNI), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
"Building synergy and cohesiveness among all stakeholders is the key to ensuring the proper execution of security measures and services during the Christmas and New Year holidays," Listyo emphasized.
He highlighted that during the year-end holidays, a large number of people are expected to travel, with most projected to join the exodus on December 21 and 28. The reverse flow will likely peak on December 29 and January 1, 2025.
Polri has collaborated with relevant stakeholders to devise strategies for managing the anticipated increase in mobility during the holidays, he added.
"We have mapped potential traffic hot spots, such as toll roads, arterial roads, and ports," he pointed out.
Operation Lilin 2024, planned to last 13 days from December 21, will involve implementing security measures at various locations and controlling traffic flow.
A total of 141,605 joint personnel from Polri, TNI, and other institutions have been prepared to carry out the operation across Indonesia.
