500 houses, rice fields inundated

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)