Central Java plans flood control project<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Cilacap, Central Java<\/p>\n
As floods worsened in a number of regencies in the southwest
\npart of Central Java, the provincial administration planned to
\nlaunch a multi-billion rupiah flood control project.<\/p>\n
The huge project will include Rp 30 billion (US$3 million) for
\ndredging the silted-up Segara Anakan estuary off Cilacap and for
\nthe construction of waterways to channel water from the Citanduy
\nand Cimeneng rivers.<\/p>\n
During his visit to Puring district, the hardest-hit by
\nflooding in Kebumen regency, Minister of Resettlement and
\nRegional Infrastructure Soenarno revealed on Wednesday that the
\ngovernment had allocated a total of Rp 70 billion from foreign
\naid for various flood control projects in Central Java.<\/p>\n
He said the projects would include the dredging of a number of
\nrivers, such as the Serayu, Bogowonto and Citanduy, as well as
\nthe Segara Anakan delta.<\/p>\n
He hoped that the project could start early next year.<\/p>\n
Suprihono, chief of the Cilacap regency public works office,
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Thursday that most of the Rp 30 billion
\nrequired would come from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).<\/p>\n
Suprihono, who is also a manager for the flood control
\nproject, said that Rp 3 billion of the funds would come from the
\nregency's budget.<\/p>\n
\"The project is now being put to tender. We hope that we can
\nstart the project in the middle of next year,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The project, he said, had been planned two years ago \"but the
\nADB delayed disbursing the funds due to land appropriation
\nproblems.\"<\/p>\n
More than 10,000 houses in at least 21 districts in Cilacap,
\nKebumen and Banyumas regencies in the southern part of Central
\nJava province have been inundated by floodwater over the past
\nfour days due to incessant rain.<\/p>\n
More than 6,000 people are now suffering either in temporary
\nshelters or their inundated homes, amid fear of prolonged
\nflooding due to continuing heavy rains.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, heavy rain still drenched most parts of the
\nthree regencies. In Cilacap alone, the number of districts
\naffected by flooding increased to 12, from only five on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The death toll rose to five on Thursday, with the discovery of
\ntwo more bodies in two separate villages in Kebumen.<\/p>\n
Supriyanto, a junior high school student, was drowned in a
\nflash flood at Kawunganten village, while 16-year-old Kamio died
\nafter he was buried by a landslide in Argosari village in Ayah
\ndistrict.<\/p>\n
The other victims were Salim, 23, from Jitung village, in
\nKebumen, Wartiyem, a woman from a Banyumas village and Matbera
\nfrom a Cilacap village.<\/p>\n
The Kebumen regency administration decided on Thursday to opt
\nfor a short-term solution by, among other things, repairing the
\nruptured banks of six drainage channels and small rivers, and
\nrebuilding damaged roads and houses.<\/p>\n
The administration will provide Rp 7.8 billion from its budget
\nfor these projects.<\/p>\n
In Cilacap regency, the floods spread on Thursday to the town
\nof Cilacap. Almost half the town was submerged.<\/p>\n
Aris Riyanto, spokesman for the regency administration, told
\nthe Post that this was the first time the town had been inundated
\nby floodwater.<\/p>\n
More than 500 families residing in the Tegal Tatilayu housing
\ncomplex were forced to flee their homes.<\/p>\n
Aris also blamed the residents' habit of throwing garbage
\narbitrarily into rivers as a factor contributing to the
\noverflows.<\/p>\n
Thousands of villagers taking shelter in local administration
\noffices and in makeshift tents erected along riverbanks in the
\nCilacap and Banyumas regencies are in need of food, clothing,
\nblankets and medicine. Most of them lost almost all of their
\nbelongings in the floods.<\/p>\n
At least 200 of some 2,500 victims in Banyumas started to
\nsuffer itching and had stomach complaints on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Local administrations distributed foodstuffs and medicine, but
\nthese were not in sufficient supply.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, flooding was easing in Tasikmalaya district, West
\nJava. As of Thursday, water continued to submerge two districts
\n-- as compared with 14 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Fresh floods also hit Banda Aceh, the provincial capital of
\nAceh, following incessant rains since Tuesday that caused water
\nin the Daroy river to overflow.<\/p>\n
The flooding forced hundreds of families in Banda Aceh to
\nleave their inundated homes for safer locations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/central-java-plans-flood-control-project-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}