Banjar closes schools due to flooding

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Authorities in the South Kalimantan regency of Banjar closed several schools on Tuesday due to severe flooding in the area.

Water has reached 30 to 100 centimeters deep in five districts in the regency over the past few days.

"The schools have been closed in order to protect the students from the floods," said Banjar administration spokesman Syahda Mariadi as quoted by Antara.

He said the schools that had been closed included 10 elementary schools in Jingah Habang subdistrict and one junior high school.

In some places, the schools were flooded in water almost one meter deep, as was the case with Tunggulirang elementary school in Martapura district, he said.

On Monday, Banjar Regent Rudy Arifin said the regental administration would provide aid to the victims of the floods, such as public kitchens, makeshift tents and relief centers in areas hit by the floods.

It would also distribute rice seeds to farmers whose paddy fields were swept away by floodwaters, he added.

"We have allocated funds from the regency budget to deal with the natural disaster. We will use those funds to allay the misery of the flood victims," said Rudy.

The Banjar administration has allocated Rp 700 million (US$82,353) this year toward natural disaster management.

Meanwhile, Syahda said the schools would reopen "when the flood has subsided and is no longer a threat to the students".