The South Sulawesi provincial government has committed to handling abrasion in Kanaeng Village, Takalar District, in 2023.

"I met (with the related parties). It was agreed that an embankment in Kanaeng Village will be intervened," the province's acting secretary, Andi Aslam Patonangi, said here on Monday after a coordination meeting with the Takalar district government on priorities during abrasion handling.

Apart from the province's Public Works and Spatial Planning Office, the regional government budget team (TAPD), the regional research and development agency, agencies related to disaster mitigation, and the Regional Finance and Assets Agency (BKAD) are also carrying out abrasion handling comprehensively.

The local authority will use the unexpected spending budget for handling an abrasion-affected area spanning 291 meters in Saro Hamlet, Kanaeng Village, South Galesong Sub-district.

"The unexpected spending budget for emergency response was preceded by an emergency response decree that is in effect until January 28 (2023). It (the budget) is from the provincial government's regional budget (APBD)," Patonangi informed.

Earlier, the South Sulawesi provincial government provided assistance worth Rp1.6 billion for handling natural disasters in Takalar district and helping affected residents.

Acting district head of Takalar, Setiawan Aswad, said that the provincial government's assistance will be used to help residents whose homes have been severely damaged due to whirlwinds, abrasion, and coastal floods.

Takalar has received the largest portion of disaster relief because it has been the most affected region, he added.

Earlier, South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sulaiman asked the Takalar administration to construct embankments without delay to protect against abrasion.

The governor said the handling must be accelerated so that no more homes are washed away by waves due to abrasion.

Some residents had complained about their areas being impacted by abrasion, while some had chosen to evacuate from the area.  (Antaranews)