1,000 flee flooded homes in Palu

1,000 flee flooded homes in Palu

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Unexpected flooding hit the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu on Monday, despite fine weather in the city at the time, forcing more than 1,000 residents of suburban areas to flee their inundated houses.

The floodwater reached a height of up to one meter after the Palu river burst its banks on Sunday night.

The affected areas included Ujuna, Lere, and South Lolu.

The victims took shelter in a number of public facilities, including the Bambaru traditional market, as well as mosques.

Suparman, one of the refugees, said he was shocked by the flood because there had been no rain for the past two days in the city.

Another refugee, Abdul Salam, a resident of Lere, said the flooding followed a high tide in Palu Bay.

To prevent more floods in the future, the residents urged the local administration to soon complete the construction of embankments along the Palu river's banks. --Antara