500 houses, rice fields inundated

BANDUNG, West Java: Hundreds of farmers in Majalaya and Ciparay districts have lost their crops as floods inundated and destroyed their rice fields over the last two days.

The flood waters reached between 50 centimeters and 100 centimeters in height, but gradually subsided on Sunday afternoon when a number of farmers tried to save their rice plants using a rubber dinghy.

The attempt was given up when the dinghy incurred a puncture.

Financial losses are estimated to reach Rp 170 million (US$18,085).

"Our plants must be rotting by now as they have been far too long under water," one of the farmers, Ujang Rosmana, said.

Water also inundated around 500 houses, two subdistrict offices and one community health clinic as a result of the heavy rain which began on Friday.

No casualties were reported.

Students of seven elementary and junior high schools also suffered from the flooding. They have been out of class since Thursday as the flood waters have swamped their schools.

Head of Ciparay district Mohammad Komarudin Saleh said major floods usually hit the area around December and January.

"The floods are the result of the construction of a dam in Sapan village in Majalaya to contain the Citarik, Cikeruh and Citarum rivers," Mohammad speculated. (25)