Pidie Jaya, Aceh. Conservation authorities in Aceh have deployed four trained Sumatran elephants to help clear massive piles of timber and debris left behind by catastrophic flash floods in Pidie Jaya, where heavy machinery has struggled to reach isolated neighborhoods.

Abu, Mido, Ajis, and Noni, a team of trained Sumatran elephants, are now assisting the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in removing flood debris in Meunasah Bie village, Meurah Dua sub-district.

“These four trained elephants are from the Saree training center, and today they are working to remove timber debris from residential areas,” said Hadi Sofyan, head of the Sigli BKSDA office, on Monday.

The elephants are being deployed to locations inaccessible to excavators or trucks, including narrow lanes and areas where homes have been buried by logs and mud. Their tasks include opening blocked roads, pulling out large pieces of timber, and clearing house entrances so residents and rescue workers can move more freely.

Sofyan said the elephants may also assist in evacuating bodies or trapped survivors, as well as delivering logistics to areas that remain cut off.

“We are targeting cleanup in Meureudu and Meurah Dua. The team will be stationed here for seven days, until December 14,” he said.

The four elephants have long experience in disaster response. All of them were deployed during the 2004 Aceh tsunami to help remove rubble and transport materials in zones unreachable by heavy equipment.

“Based on past experience, including during the tsunami, the presence of elephants is extremely helpful in clearing debris,” Sofyan added.

For now, BKSDA teams are focusing on Pidie Jaya, as access to other flood-affected districts remains limited.

“If needed later, we are prepared to help in other regions once access opens,” he said.

Add as a preferred source on Google +