Floods kill two, forces closure of Medan airport<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan<\/p>\n
A flash flooding hit the North Sumatra capital of Medan for the
\nsecond time in recent weeks on Monday, leaving at least two
\npeople dead and four others missing, and forcing the eight-hour
\nclosure of the city's international airport.<\/p>\n
Thousands of residents in the country's third largest city
\nwere made homeless as their houses were inundated and some of
\nthem destroyed by floodwaters.<\/p>\n
Parts of the Polonia airport's runways have been submerged,
\nshutting it down, officials said. However, it reopened at 1 p.m.
\nafter the water had significantly receded.<\/p>\n
A Boeing-737 plane belonging to Mandala Airlines was first to
\nfly out of the airport for Jakarta at 1 p.m. after the eight-hour
\nclosure.<\/p>\n
Risman Nuryadin, head of Polonia airport, said at least 28
\nflights were canceled during the closure, but said he could not
\nspecify the losses caused by the move.<\/p>\n
The airport, which sees around 60 airplanes fly in and out
\ndaily, had also closed for more than 24 hours after similar
\nfloods in the city on December 29.<\/p>\n
The ongoing floods followed heavy rains which started on
\nSunday night, swelling water levels of the Babura, Deli, Percut
\nand Belawan rivers in the city.<\/p>\n
The flooding affected at least six subdistricts of Medan --
\nSunggal, Labuhan Deli, Amplas, Percut Sei Tuan, Medan Baru and
\nMedan Denai -- where thousands of villagers were evacuated and
\naccommodated in schools, mosques and offices.<\/p>\n
In some places, floodwaters were between one and six meters
\ndeep.<\/p>\n
Two people from one family drowned. They were 38-year old
\nZarni Caniago and seven-year old Kartini Dewi. Another four who
\nwere missing were identified as Tini, 10, Fauzi, 4, Karnia Dewi,
\n15, and Nurlela, 70.<\/p>\n
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsah, North Sumatra
\nGovernor T. Rizal Nurdin and Medan Deputy Mayor Maulana Pohan
\nvisited flood victims in Sunggal, including the bereaved family
\nof the two dead persons.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar was scheduled to fly to Padang Sidempuan to
\ndistribute assistance to hundreds of victims of a fire that
\ndestroyed their shops and stalls there. But he had to postpone
\nthe plan after the Polonia airport was closed.<\/p>\n
In Sunggal, at least 33 houses were destroyed or damaged when
\nthe Belawan river burst its banks early on Monday. As a result,
\naround 100 residents in Pantai Harapan village took shelter at
\nnearby schools and other safer areas.<\/p>\n
Chamsah pledged Rp 5 million in assistance for a victim whose
\nhouse was swept away by the floods.<\/p>\n
Governor Rizal said he would soon set up a task force to
\ninvestigate the main cause of the repeated floods.<\/p>\n
He also promised to relocate houses located on the river banks
\nto safer areas.<\/p>\n
The local weather authorities warned floods would continue to
\naffect the city and other parts of North Sumatra in coming weeks,
\nsaying the downpours are expected to stop by the end of this
\nmonth.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/floods-kill-two-forces-closure-of-medan-airport-1447893297",
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