Landslides, flooding kill at least five in S. Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar<\/p>\n
A series of landslides and severe flooding killed at least
\nfive people and forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes
\nin the South Sulawesi district of Gowa, residents said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
The flood and landslides were triggered by two days of heavy
\nrain, which began on Tuesday, causing Jeneberang River to
\noverflow.<\/p>\n
All the five dead victims were found buried in the mud on
\nTuesday and Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
Unofficial reports said the death toll was six.<\/p>\n
Four of the bodies came from one family comprising a mother,
\nher husband and their two children, who lived in the village of
\nJonjo in Parangloe subdistrict, while another one was a 70-year-
\nold farmer, Parang bin Rimung, from the village of Manuju in
\nTinggi Moncong subdistrict.<\/p>\n
At least three cattle and six goats were drowned by the
\noverflowing Jeneberang river. The flooding and landslides also
\nleft six houses destroyed and caused two bridges to collapse.<\/p>\n
Floodwaters were 1.5 meters high at Tamarunang village in
\nSomba Opu subdistrict near the river on Tuesday. Water swept
\nthrough at least 100 houses there. Water levels gradually
\nsubsided on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Local residents said the landslides and floods caused a
\ntraffic jam leading to and from South Sulawesi as waters reached
\nthe 0.5 meter level. Hundreds of houses and farmland was also
\nsubmerged in Gowa.<\/p>\n
A 53-year old resident, Bella, said the flooding was the worst
\nto hit Gowa for the last 10 years, adding that previous floods
\nhad never claimed any lives.<\/p>\n
"The current floods and landslides are the largest ever as
\nseveral people are dead," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Further landslides would take place should the rain continue
\nunabated, Bella added.<\/p>\n
The floods, caused by heavy downpours, began to spread to the
\ncapital of South Sulawesi, Makassar, where floodwaters reached
\none meter high in several housing complexes like Antang, Tallo,
\nPerintis Kemerdekaan, Pattarani and Cendrawasih.<\/p>\n
Main streets such as Jl. Urip Sumohardjo, Pattarani, Veteran,
\nGalangan Kapan and Perintis Kemerdekaan were also affected by the
\nfloods, causing heavy traffic jams.<\/p>\n
There were no reports of casualties in the floods in Makassar,
\nwhere hundreds of people also fled to take shelter at relatives'
\nhouses located in safer areas.<\/p>\n
Mayor of Makassar HB Amiruddin Maula ordered a full alert to
\nprevent bigger floods. "I have suggested city residents to be
\nfully alert against any worse flooding."<\/p>\n
The administration is ready to evacuate victims if the floods
\ncontinue, he added.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, floods in North Sumatra killed at least four
\npeople and left 10 others missing and forced thousands of
\nresidents in the province's capital, Medan, to seek refuge after
\ntheir homes were flooded.<\/p>\n
The city's Polonia International Airport was temporarily
\nclosed and at least 60 incoming and outgoing flights were
\ndelayed, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. The airport
\nreopened on Sunday.<\/p>",
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