E. Java flooding continues, loggers blamed<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra and ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post\/Surabaya\/Blitar<\/p>\n
More towns in East Java will likely follow Blitar's major flood
\nwith the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) forecasting
\ncontinuous torrential rain and strong winds this week in the
\nprovince, which has been denuded of much of its protective
\nforests.<\/p>\n
Maritim Perak BMG's Technical Division head Mohammad Effendi
\nsaid Monday that heavy rain and wind would hit cities such as
\nMalang, Tulungagung, Kediri, Jombang, Mojokerto, Tuban, Lamongan
\nand Blitar over the next three to five days.<\/p>\n
\"Currently, we are seeing the early form of a tropical storm
\nover the southern part of the Java Sea. In the next five days,
\nthe speed of the wind could reach up to 60 kilometers per hour,\"
\nEffendi said on Monday.<\/p>\n
He said the precipitation level in East Java would peak in mid
\nDecember and would possibly result in more flooding and
\nlandslides due to the massive deforestation in the area, as
\nforests are one of nature's tools to absorb rain water.<\/p>\n
Official statistics report that 65 percent of the province's
\ntotal 1.3 million hectares of forests have been cut down.<\/p>\n
Effendi warned that the water levels in the submerged city of
\nBlitar were still high and urged local administrations to stay
\nalert to prevent more losses.<\/p>\n
Floods and landslides have killed at least 14 people since
\nFriday in Blitar, while thousands more have been forced to take
\nrefuge away from their homes.<\/p>\n
Local authorities said the floods and landslides had washed
\naway 30 houses and destroyed 650 other buildings, including
\nmosques and schools, with the total loss reaching Rp 28 billion
\n(US$3.11 million).<\/p>\n
Hundreds of refugees have also begun to inundate area clinics
\ndiarrhea and other ailments related to unsafe water in the
\nregency.<\/p>\n
In Payung, Batu Malang, supporting forests have been laid bare
\nby loggers and landslides have become commonplace for local
\nresidents.<\/p>\n
In Canggar, Mojokerto, similar conditions prevail, while some
\npeople were seen clearing off the mud-covered road that winds its
\nway up Mount Wilis in Nganjuk district after Sunday's landslide.
\nNo fatalities were reported in that incident.<\/p>\n
Syafruddin Ngulma Simeulue, the director of Peduli Indonesia,
\na non-governmental organization, said that many more devastating
\nfloods and landlides were imminent and urged the local
\nadministration to review its forestry policies to minimize such
\nnatural distasters.<\/p>\n
\"I urge the East Java Governor to enact specific bylaws to
\ngovern issues of illegal logging that have become rampant in the
\nlast few years,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Syafruddin also said that the government has to put a stop to
\nall legal activities in industrial forest plantations across
\nJava.<\/p>\n
\"If we assume that Java's forests are only 7 percent of
\nIndonesia's total forests, but they have to support the
\nlivelihood of 60 percent of Indonesians, it's clear that they
\nhave exceeded their capacity. The forests in Java must be
\nprotected,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The head of East Java's information agency Suprawoto claimed
\nthat the Governor had coordinated with concerned parties, such as
\nthe police, forest rangers and state-owned forestry companies, to
\ntake stern actions against illegal loggers and to eliminate
\nforest exploitation.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Malang Environment and Mineral Resources
\nAgency has temporarily shut down 10 mining sites during the rainy
\nseason as they are prone to landslides.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/e-java-flooding-continues-loggers-blamed-1447893297",
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