Flood kills 8, injures 13<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Eight people died and 13 were injured when a
\nflash flood hit a gold mining area in Bengkulu province, on the
\nwestern island of Sumatra, Antara reported Friday.<\/p>\n
Villagers of Ketenong Satu discovered the bodies of seven gold
\npanners and one of their children on Wednesday and the body of
\nof another small child the next day beside a swollen river, the
\nnews agency reported.<\/p>\n
The local administrative chief, Muslihan, said the flash flood
\nfollowed a landslide in the province's Kerinci Seblat National
\nPark. The landslide covered about two hectares of the park.<\/p>\n
Equipment including a diesel-powered gold sifter were washed
\naway in the flood. Total damages have yet to be estimated.<\/p>\n
The province's deputy governor and the local administrator
\nvisited the site and offered food aid to the surviving families.<\/p>\n
Separately, residents in the East Kalimantan provincial
\ncapital of Samarinda fought floods on New Year's Eve, fearful
\nthere would be a repetition of last August's devastating
\ninundation when levels reached two meters.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Antara quoted the head of the Environmental
\nImpact Management Agency, Awang Farouk Ishak, as saying the
\nadministration urgently needed a flood control office because
\nwater had reached 1.5 meters in some areas.<\/p>\n
He said heavier rains could cause the Karangmumus River to
\noverflow, and Benanga Dam, located 15 kilometers to the north of
\nSamarinda, to burst.<\/p>\n
Awang believes the development of Samarinda, in which water
\ncatchment areas were converted into business and residential
\nsites, contributed significantly to the floods.<\/p>\n
Road construction was not followed by drainage widening, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In August, four died and 50,000 were forced to evacuate their
\nhomes when Benanga Dam in Lempake village burst.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/flood-kills-8-injures-13-1447893297",
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