Death toll in C. Java landslide reaches forty-five<\/p>\n
By Israr Ardiansyah<\/p>\n
PURWOREJO, Central Java (JP): The death toll from the
\nlandslide which struck three districts in the regency of
\nPurworejo reached 45 on Monday, while seven people were reported
\nmissing, latest records at a joint emergency post indicated.<\/p>\n
Rescue workers assumed that the seven missing people had been
\nswept away by floodwater from the Ngasinan river.<\/p>\n
According to records, 18 victims were residents of the Bagelen
\ndistrict, 20 were Purworejo residents and seven were from the
\nKaligesing district.<\/p>\n
The landslide and flood, which followed torrential rains on
\nSaturday, ravaged 13 villages in the 13 districts, devastating
\na large number of buildings, including residential houses.<\/p>\n
The most severely hit area was the Kemanukan village in the
\ndistrict of Bagelen. The village was almost totally covered with
\nmud after a 70-meter high hill with a length of 200 meters
\ncollapsed.<\/p>\n
The road leading to the village was totally destroyed. \"The
\nseven missing people were all Kemanukan villagers,\" a local said.<\/p>\n
As many as 18 spots in the road connecting Kulon Progo with
\nPurworejo via Kaligesing were blocked with mud, forcing motorists
\nto take an alternative route, which was another 40 kilometers
\nlong.<\/p>\n
Purworejo is about 65 kilometers southwest of Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Kuswadi, a 33-year-old resident of the village of Cangkep in
\nthe Purworejo regency said that it was a tragic calamity. \"It is
\nmuch worse than the November 9, 1990 landslide which killed less
\nthan 10 people.\"<\/p>\n
At the joint emergency post, a Kaligono villager, Jati,
\nsolemnly read the list of known victims, adding that he was
\nunsure if his relatives or friends were among those killed.<\/p>\n
\"Two of my neighbors were killed,\" he said, referring to a 60-
\nyear-old man and his 55-year-old wife.<\/p>\n
Floods also affected three districts in Purbalingga and
\nKebumen. No fatalities were reported in Purbalingga, while
\nKebumen authorities have said two people were killed during the
\nflood.<\/p>\n
The President<\/p>\n
During his visit to Central Java on Monday, President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid stopped by in Purworejo to visit the affected
\nareas and attempted to console residents in an impromptu dialog.<\/p>\n
However, the President and his entourage could only visit the
\nBagelen district, where he met only 30 people from the villages
\nof Semagung and Kemanukan.<\/p>\n
The chief of the neighborhood security force of the Bagelen
\ndistrict, Budi Suharjo, said he found it difficult to contact the
\nvillagers to inform them of the President's visit as most of the
\nroads were blocked by soil and mud. \"It was an impromptu visit. I
\nfound it hard to gather many people to meet the President.\"<\/p>\n
The President offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved
\nfamilies and promised aid to the villagers.<\/p>\n
He said he was not yet able to specify exactly what aid he
\ncould offer. \"It is an unplanned visit. I just stopped by here
\nafter hearing that landslides and floods have hit Purworejo.\"<\/p>\n
But the President gave some cash to the tune of Rp 5 million
\nbefore leaving.<\/p>\n
Purworejo regent Marsaid said in his report to the President
\nthat his office had donated a total of Rp 50 million to the
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
The Red Cross office in Purworejo has reportedly provided a
\ntotal of Rp 2.65 million in burial funds to the victims'
\nrelatives.<\/p>\n
Authorities have yet to make an estimation of the financial
\nlosses caused by the landslide and flood which also destroyed
\ncrops and killed a large number of cattle and other animals
\nbelonging to the locals.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported from Jakarta that the Social
\nAffairs Office in Purworejo, in cooperation with the former
\nSocial Affairs Office in the Central Java province, had
\ndistributed food and medication to the victims in Purworejo.<\/p>\n
The head of the National Social Welfare Agency (BKSN) Anak
\nAgung Gde Agung said that BKSN had yet to give any aid to the
\nPurworejo people because the Social Affairs Office was arranging
\neverything regarding aid.<\/p>\n
Anak Agung said he hoped that the distribution of food,
\nclothes and medicine to the victims could be properly carried
\nout.<\/p>\n
According to BKSN's record, Anak Agung said, each province had
\na total of between 500 and 1,000 tons in rice stocked in
\nanticipation of emergencies, such as natural disasters.<\/p>",
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