39 dead following heavy rain in Kupang

39 dead following heavy rain in Kupang

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

Major floods and landslides in Ende and East Flores regencies,
East Nusa Tenggara, had claimed 39 lives as of Wednesday, while
several other people were reported missing following the heavy
rain that had been drenching the area since Monday.

Thousands of hectares of rice fields and plantations, several
hundred houses, three bridges and dozens of cars and motorcycles
were damaged or washed away by the floods.

The rain also flooded the towns of Ende and Larantuka in East
Flores, resulting in several school buildings and government
offices being shut.

Piet A. Tallo, the governor of East Nusa Tenggara told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday that thousands of people were being
evacuated to avoid an even greater number of casualties.

"According to our estimates, some 31 people died in Ende and
in Larantuka. This does not include the number of missing people.

"Hundreds of houses, public facilities, bridges, schools and
prayer houses were damaged during the floods. The floods also cut
road links between Ende and East Flores," he said.

More fatalities are expected as search and rescue teams and
security officers attempt to search for, rescue and evacuate the
victims and missing persons.

"The weather at the moment in Ende and East Flores is
horrendous with the rain continuing to fall, making it difficult
to continue the evacuation process," said Tallo.

According to Tallo, the areas that had suffered the most from
the heavy rains were the districts of Ende, Detusoko, Ndona,
Nangapada, Maurole, Wolowaru and South Ende -- all in Ende
regency.

"Topographically, Ende is a hilly area prone to major floods
and landslides," Tallo said.

The local government has thus far built shelters to
accommodate people from the area. Food, medical treatment and
clean water are also being provided.

Heavy machinery is currently being sent to the area to help
clear the roads that have been affected by landslides.

Separately, Anton T Matutina, chief of information and
communications for the East Flores administration, said that the
floodwaters in several areas had reached five meters high.

The persistent rain caused major floods on Monday, with the
three districts of Larantuka, Lohayong and Posto -- all in East
Flores -- being submerged.

Meanwhile, Hendry Surbakti, chief of the Meteorology and
Geophysics Agency said that the heavy rains were caused by a low
pressure area over Ende and East Flores. It had later moved
southwest toward the Indian ocean.

He added that there had been a low pressure area over East
Nusa Tenggara since Sunday. The depression was located over the
Ombay Strait, between the islands of Alor and Timor. As a result,
the area had been hit by heavy rainstorms with wind speeds of
about 10 knots per hour, which had caused the sea level to rise
by about 1.5 meters.