Crop failure awaits C. Java disaster victims
Crop failure awaits C. Java disaster victims
Slamet Susanto and Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post,
Purworejo, Central Java
The search for a missing woman in a landslide that hit the
Purworejo village of Plipir in Central Java has been abandoned,
while thousands of others are facing a serious plight due to a
mudslide that swept through their rice fields.
A mudslide that followed heavy rains has buried hundreds of
hectares of rice fields in Plipir and two neighboring villages,
making it impossible for the farmers to harvest.
"Should we fail to harvest the crops, we cannot estimate how
much the government will have to spend on humanitarian assistance
for the people because there are hundreds of hectares of rice
field affected," Tri Gunadi, an official with the provincial
administration, said on Sunday,
The office, along with the local provincial agriculture
office, are still seeking a solution to help the farmers, Tri
added.
The central government has delivered two tons of rice, 20
boxes of canned fish, blankets and instant noodles to the
villagers, in addition to 300 packages of staple foods provided
by the local administration.
"People can ask for humanitarian assistance at the local
logistics agency and the social affairs agency," Minister of
Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah said over the weekend.
At least 14 people were killed and a woman remained missing
after the landslide hit Plipir on Friday.
On Saturday, the local search and rescue team discovered the
body of Paiman, 24.
The missing woman is identified as Sarinah, 60.
According to Abdul Muntholip, the village head, the rescue
team would not continue the search for Sarinah on Monday and she
is presumed dead.
But Abdul allowed local people to continue the effort
voluntarily.
The other 13 fatalities were Sukardi, 65, and his wife
Sarinah, 60; Tukino, 39, his wife Ruskayaiti, 32, and their two
children Edi Rahmatdani, 11, and Ahmat Fifai, 3; Paiman, 24, his
wife Mursidah, 24, who was nine-months pregnant, and their
daughter Nina Aryanti, 6.
Tito's wife Siti Lestarini, 25, and their two children
Fauziyah Verawati and Ibnu Saefudin, 6. were also killed along
with Sukardi's son-in-law, Sagiman, who was staying overnight
with them.
The natural disaster also hit the neighboring regencies of
Kulonprgo and Bantul, both in Yogyakarta, forcing dozens of
families to temporarily seek shelter in neighboring areas.
The landslide also affected hundreds of houses in Bagelan
subdistrict. The mud caused slippery roads, endangering
motorists.
Meanwhile in Trenggalek, East Java, a local rescue team
continue searching for victims after a landslide that hit Temon
village recently.
According to Trenggalek Police precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
Suyono, the team would require around four days to evacuate
victims as well as a few head of cattle that perished when the
disaster took place on Friday.
The police had earlier identified a victim named Muwadi, 70,
but expressed regret for being unable to remove the body of the
victim immediately, because of the difficult terrain.
"We need more time to evacuate the body from the site. It
would take us perhaps about four or five days because the place
is difficult to reach," Suyono said.
The landslide sunk 15 houses and seriously damaged six
buildings there. Hundreds of head of cattle also perished,
including 60 goats and five cows.
Local officials have provided locals with medicine and food,