671 hectares of rice fields in Demak Regency affected by flooding

Demak (ANTARA) - An area of 671 hectares of rice fields spread across nine villages in Demak Regency, Central Java, has been affected by flooding due to high rainfall causing river overflow and embankment breaches in several locations. “The height of the flood inundation in the rice fields varies,” said the Head of the Demak Regency BPBD Implementation Agency, Agus Sukiyono, in Demak on Sunday. In addition to impacting rice fields, the flood inundation has also affected 2,116 residents’ homes, 29 places of worship, and 18 schools. As a result of the incident, a significant number of residents have been evacuated, with data as of Saturday (4/4) recording 2,839 people. However, he said, the worst impacts occurred in Trimulyo and Sidoharjo villages, with the area of land in both villages reaching 660 hectares. For the age of the submerged rice plants, it ranges from 30 days, so even if there is crop failure, the farmers’ losses are not too significant because it has not yet been fully planted. “Later, if there are those who experience crop failure, we will still record them to propose assistance from the central government,” he stated. Previously flooded rice fields that suffered crop failure, he said, were also proposed for assistance, so farmers received rice seed aid to replant in their rice fields. The embankment breach and overflow of the Tuntang River occurred on Friday (3/4) morning, causing residents’ homes, places of worship, and schools to be flooded, including farmers’ rice fields. The locations of the embankment breaches, namely in Trimulyo Village, there are three locations with lengths of 30 metres and 10 metres, while in Sidoharjo Village, there are three locations with lengths of about 15 metres.