Floods mostly subside, residents still enduring effects<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although floods had largely subsided in most of parts of
\nIndonesia on Friday, residents in several other areas here are
\nstill badly affected by the annual deluge.<\/p>\n
Floods hit four regencies in Sulawesi island, affecting
\nhundreds of residents in the areas, Antara news agency reported.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of residents in Wajo, Soppeng and Sidrap regencies in
\nSouth Sulawesi, among others, fled to safer areas after Tempe
\nLake in Wajo regency overflowed on Friday due to incessant rain
\nover the past few days.<\/p>\n
Water inundated hundreds of houses and public facilities in
\nthe three regencies. Thousands of hectares of paddy fields and
\ncacao plantations were damaged, while hundreds of livestock were
\nwashed away. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported. Local
\ngovernment has moved swiftly, evacuating citizens, providing
\nemergency tents and distributing food.<\/p>\n
Flooding has become an annual problem for people living around
\nTempe Lake because it is silted up, while only one river has its
\nupper reach at the lake.<\/p>\n
Also in the North Sulawesi capital of Manado, some 120
\nfamilies in Ternate Tanjung subdistrict sought refuge after the
\nTondano River overflowed inundating the surrounding area. The
\nriver overflowed after a heavy downpour on Thursday and Friday.<\/p>\n
Jantje Kumajas, the head of Manado municipality's social
\noffice, said that the families had been evacuated to high ground
\nincluding places of worship.<\/p>\n
As residents struggled to survive after the floods, people in
\nother parts of the nation felt relief as floods began to subside.<\/p>\n
In Jambi, most parts of the downtown city area had began to
\ndry out on Friday morning, after days of flooding that reached
\none meter high. The situation allowed local residents to resume
\ntheir activities and traffic returned to normal.<\/p>\n
But, garbage was still scattered throughout the town, the
\nstench increasing as roads dry out. Traffic was still clogged on
\nJl. Thaha here, because many traders at Angso Duo market had left
\nthe market to set up makeshift tents that covered part of the
\nroad, as the market was still flooded.<\/p>\n
In the Riau regency of Indragiri Hulu, some 300 families in
\nthe area are still living in several refugee camps here, as water
\nstill inundated their homes.<\/p>\n
Floods hit the regency two weeks ago, but there was no sign
\nuntil Friday that the area would dry soon.<\/p>\n
But, the flood victims will not have to shoulder the burden of
\nthe floods alone, as the government is ready to help.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, Jusuf Kalla and
\nMinister of Settlement and Regional Infrastructure, Soenarno,
\nvisited areas formerly affected by floods in Pandeglang regency,
\nin Banten province. Jusuf, also a presidential hopeful from
\nGolkar Party, promised local residents Rp 100 million (US$11,765)
\nto Rp 200 million in aid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, although floods have ceased in most areas here,
\npeople must be aware that the worst is apparently yet to come.<\/p>\n
Central Sulawesi Weather Station forecast on Friday that
\ntorrential rain and winds would sweep the Central Sulawesi area
\nin the next few days until February next year.<\/p>\n
Similarly, bad weather is also forecast for the northern
\ncoastal area of Central Java from the end of December until
\nJanuary, according to Widada Sulistya, the head of Semarang
\nWeather Station.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/floods-mostly-subside-residents-still-enduring-effects-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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