Bekasi villages face flooding

Bekasi villages face flooding

JAKARTA (JP): Fears are mounting that at least five villages
along the Muaragembong coast in Bekasi regency will be heavily
inundated during the upcoming rainy season, which is expected to
see heavier rainfall than average due to the La Nina phenomenon.

Regency spokesman Koko Safrudin said on Saturday the flood-
prone villages were Pantai Harapan with a population of 5,005;
Pantai Mekar, 4,793; Pantai Sederhana, 3,103: Pantai Bakti,
5,130; and Pantai Bahagia, 4,807.

"We are ready to evacuate the 22,000 residents of the five
villages so as to avoid any casualties during the flooding. We
have prepared equipment and alerted flood control personnel,"
Koko aid after the conclusion of a meeting of the regency's
coordinating team for natural disaster assistance.

Koko was quoted by Antara as saying that the regency had also
prepared temporary shelters, including several elementary school
buildings and subdistrict offices, to accommodate those hit by
flooding.

He said the floods would be caused by the nearby Citarum and
Ciherang rivers overflowing.

"The rivers often engulf nearby areas even during small rains.
It will probably be worse with the La Nina phenomenon," Koko
said.

The management of the Jatiluhur Dam Authority, which controls
the water flow in rivers in West Java, has also prepared
monitoring posts and teams in several flood-prone areas in north
coastal areas, including Bekasi, an official said.

"We've also prepared thousands of sand-filled plastic sacks
for building emergency dikes," the official, who asked not to be
named, said.

He added that the upcoming rainy season along the northern
coastal areas was currently expected to reach its peak in the
period between the middle of next month and the middle of
December.

Some areas in the northern parts of Karawang, Subang and
Indramayu are also highly flood-prone. (jun)