250 houses submerged as floods hit Kudus

250 houses submerged as floods hit Kudus

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Around 4,500 people were evacuated to safer areas in the Central Java town of Kudus on Thursday as more floods devastated their houses, with floodwater measuring up to 2.5 meters in depth.

At least 250 of the 519 houses at Setrokalangan village in Kaliwungu subdistrict -- the worst area affected by the flooding -- were almost totally submerged. Only the roofs of the buildings were still visible.

Local authorities were forced to evacuate the refugees to mosques, schools and other accommodation in the town's center.

Most of the victims had refused to leave their inundated houses in order to safeguard their belongings, but eventually they were ready to be evacuated.

There were no reports of casualties. The two weeks of nationwide floods and landslides have claimed nearly 150 lives. In East Java alone, at least 75 people were killed, while more than 35 others died in Jakarta.

Head of Setrokalangan village Ramijan said almost all the areas under his control were flooded to a depth of 50 centimeters (cm) to 150 cm.

By Thursday evening, there was no sign that the floods would recede, despite sunshine in Kudus.

The local police said the road linking Kudus and Semarang was submerged to a depth of 40 cm. Only buses and trucks were allowed to operate.

Flooding has also destroyed and damaged thousands of houses and other buildings in neighboring towns in Central Java, including Demak, Jepara and Pekalongan.

In the resort island of Bali, another landslide claimed the 12th victim, 30-year-old Ni Luh Nuriasih. She died when a landslide buried her house at Pancasari village in Bulelang regency on Wednesday night. Her body had not yet been recovered by Thursday morning.

Eleven other people were killed in earlier landslides from late last month in Bulelang and other towns in Bali.

The latest landslide also destroyed six other houses in Pancasari and severed the main Denpasar-Singaraja route, leaving Australian and Canadian tourists stranded.

"The Australians contacted the Australian consulate-general in Denpasar by mobile phone after the mountain highway from Singaraja to the capital, Denpasar, was blocked by landslide after torrential rain. All were believed to be safe, spokeswoman for the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Chris Gallus was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The main north-south highway was reopened on Thursday but motorists were urged to remain on alert against possible dangers caused by the continuing heavy rains.

Also on Wednesday night, a tidal wave swept away eight houses and ruined the shingle beach at Pucel village in Jembarana, about 120 kilometers west of Denpasar.

The wave caused panic among local residents, mostly fishermen, who then fled their village, and it toppled dozens of coconut palm trees in the coastal areas.

Bali, Nusa Tenggara and some parts of Java have been hit by Cyclone Chris, which has produced large waves and unstable weather conditions in coastal areas there.

Meanwhile, in Situbondo, one of the towns worst affected by floods in East Java, more than 100 people in Wringin and Alas Banyur hamlets were evacuated to safer places on Thursday away from a possible landslide.

Secretary of the Bondowoso administration Udijanto told Antara that a landslide was likely following the appearance of fissures in some parts of Gantole hill, located at the edge of the city and bordering Situbondo regency.