Thousands evacuated in Aceh flood disaster<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Meulaboh<\/p>\n
About 16,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and tens
\nof thousands of people from three regencies in Aceh have been
\nisolated by floods which have claimed at least five lives.<\/p>\n
The deputy chief of the local social affairs office, Sulaiman
\nDaudi, said here over the weekend that transportation systems
\nconnecting the regencies of Southeast Aceh, South Aceh and Aceh
\nSingkil had been paralyzed by the week of incessant rain.<\/p>\n
At least five people were killed when their homes were washed
\naway by floodwaters that hit Babat Rot in Aceh Besar on Friday.<\/p>\n
Road users reported that several sections of the highway
\nconnecting the provincial capital of Banda Aceh with the three
\nregencies were covered by water almost two-meters deep, while
\nseveral other sections were covered by landslides.<\/p>\n
Sulaiman said traffic had been paralyzed.<\/p>\n
Several bus companies had halted ticket sales after canceling
\nservices to the province's western coast.<\/p>\n
In Banda Aceh, hundreds of passengers who had hoped to return
\nto their hometowns in Aceh Singkil and Southeast Aceh, were left
\nstranded at bus terminals.<\/p>\n
\"We have been here since Nov. 22 but so far there is no
\ncertainty when we can get to Tapaktuan because of the flooding,\"
\nsaid Mustafa, who, along with his wife and five children, have
\nspent two nights in the Geunta Plaza bus terminal.<\/p>\n
Fellow would-be-traveler Herman said he feared he would not
\nmake it home in time to celebrate Idul Fitri with his parents in
\nhis home village.<\/p>\n
He said he would go to Sibolga in South Tapanuli, North
\nSumatra, to take a boat to Aceh Singkil if the roads were not
\ncleared by Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The chief of the local social affairs office, Zulkarnain, said
\nmore than 16,000 people in the three provinces had been evacuated
\nto safety.<\/p>\n
\"We will immediately send rubber boats to anticipate
\ndeteriorating conditions and have dispatched food and medical aid
\nfor the evacuees.<\/p>\n
\"The local administrations in the three regencies have
\naccommodated all the refugees in public buildings such as mosques
\nand schools and temporary shelters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The telecommunications network, downed by the floods, was
\noperating Sunday after the local branch of PT Telkom deployed
\nhundreds of its workers to repair the network damaged by the
\nflood.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thousands-evacuated-in-aceh-flood-disaster-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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