Flood sweeps through two regencies in Riau<\/p>\n
Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau<\/p>\n
The sporadic flooding in Riau over the last several weeks has
\nbegun to sweep through Indragiri Hulu and Pelalawan, two large
\nregencies in the province, displacing more than 20,000 people and
\nparalyzing a section of the East Trans-Sumatra Highway.<\/p>\n
Refugees in Indragiri Hulu increased from 130 families to 523
\nfamilies as of Wednesday; in Pelalawan, the earlier figure of 50
\nfamilies on Monday went up to 339 families on Wednesday according
\nto official figures.<\/p>\n
Two elementary schools with around 350 students in Indragiri
\nHulu are still closed since the earlier Jan. 7 flood. \"We are
\nlooking for a temporary place for them to study,\" Marjohan Yusuf,
\nthe regency secretary, said.<\/p>\n
The regency's head of the Social Welfare Agency, Syahril MR
\nsaid in Rengat, the regency's capital, that the flooding in the
\nlast two weeks was worse than the flooding from Dec. 22 to Jan.
\n7.<\/p>\n
\"The latest estimate is that (the floods have affected) 13,113
\npeople in 72 subdistricts and five districts. 2,135 homes have
\nbeen lost in the floods and around 523 families have sought
\nshelter in Rengat,\" Syahril said.<\/p>\n
Alfitra, the public relations officer for Indragiri Hulu, said
\nso far around 1,888 hectares of farmland, including rubber and
\npalm oil plantations, were destroyed. More than 40 fish ponds
\nwere also inundated and ruined when the Indragiri river
\noverflowed. Alfitra added that a 50-meter bridge and 250
\nirrigation structures were also destroyed apart from damage of
\n2,700 meters of road.<\/p>\n
In Pelalawan regency, the Kampar river overflowed again and
\nforced residents of Pangkalan Kerinci district to flee in terror.<\/p>\n
The regency's public relations officer Darwis Al Kadam said
\nthe level of water was increasing in 15 subdistricts and five
\ndistricts -- Lannggam, Pangkalan Kerinci, Kerumutan, Taluk
\nMaranti and Pelalawan. Areas where water had reached one-meter
\nhigh were in the districts of Langgam and Pangkalan Kerinci, the
\nregency's capital.<\/p>\n
In Pelalawan, three kilometers of the road to the east have
\nbeen disrupted in the area of Pangkalan Kerinci or 72 kilometers
\nfrom Pekanbaru. Traffic to Rengat must now pass the central part
\nthrough the Kuantan Singingi regency meaning a 10-hour journey
\ninstead of five hours.<\/p>\n
Darwis said that hundreds of trucks carrying timber heading
\nfor the paper mills of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper could not
\nreach their destination, likewise for other vehicles on the same
\nroute. Given the rainfall, many other roads are predicted to be
\nimpassable through next week.<\/p>\n
Last Saturday four people, including three children, drowned
\nin the area. They were Ahmad, 5, Siti Aisyah bin Kisman, 6, from
\nRedang village in Rengat Barat district; Franki, 10, of Sungai
\nKuantan village in Peranap district and Raja Amran, 53 of the
\nPasir Kemilau village in Rengat district.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, a herd of wild elephants ran amok and
\ndamaged hundreds of hectares of farmland and palm oil plantations
\nafter they were angered over the inundation of their habitat.<\/p>\n
The project officer of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in
\nthe regency, Yuyu Arian, told The Jakarta Post that the floods
\nwere caused by the destruction of the water catchment areas in
\nthe forests.<\/p>\n
\"That is why the two areas are now prone to heavy flooding.
\nThe impact would have been minimal if the forests weren't
\nillegally cut down. Local officials continue to issue illegal
\nconcessions to timber companies without any concern for the
\nenvironmental impact,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He demanded local officials to stop issuing exploitation
\nlicenses to protect the fragile ecosystem in the area.<\/p>",
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