Hundreds displaced as wildfire destroys village in Bangka Belitung Islands
Indonesia is grappling with its worst forest and land fires in 11 years, with Sumatra and Kalimantan among the worst-affected regions.
Thousands of people are displaced following a devastating wildfire that destroyed a village in the Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. The fire, which broke out on Saturday near the Serdang hamlet in South Bangka regency, rapidly spread through the peatland area due to strong winds and dry conditions, ultimately reaching nearby settlements.
Acting head of the Bangka Belitung Islands Disaster Mitigation Agency, Agus Afandi, stated that most homes in the affected village were constructed with wooden plank walls, making them particularly vulnerable to the flames. Authorities have confirmed that the blaze ravaged 305 homes, causing an estimated loss of 2 billion rupiah ($111,000).
Despite the containment of the main fire by Monday, efforts to cool down the smoldering peatland continue, as pockets of fire persist. No casualties have been reported thus far.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
