Death toll in Flores floods, landslides reaches 56

Death toll in Flores floods, landslides reaches 56

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

The death toll from floods and landslides in Flores, East Nusa
Tenggara has risen to 56 people, while 28 others are still
unaccounted for, a local government official said on Saturday.

East Nusa Tenggara spokesman Johanis Bastian Kosapilawan said
in the provincial capital of Kupang that 31 people had been found
dead in Ende regency, 15 in Sikka and 10 in the East Flores
regency.

The floods and landslides have also destroyed 168 houses in
East Flores and severely damaged another 152 structures. The
disasters, which struck the island of Flores last Monday, also
destroyed crops and swept away cattle belonging to local
residents.

Floods and landslides have killed more than 100 people in
several parts of Indonesia since the rainy season began in
November. A lot of the flooding has been blamed on deforestation
caused by rampant illegal logging.

Meanwhile, search and rescue teams continued on Saturday to
look for the 28 missing, while hopes of finding them alive
quickly diminished.

Rescue operation officials said 18 of the missing people were
in Ende regency, eight in Sikka and two others in East Flores.

The head of the Ndona district in Ende regency, Gerardus
Kando, said on Saturday that a severe shortage of proper
equipment was hampering search and rescue operations.

"Despite the lack of equipment, we are continuing the search.
To date, 18 residents in the Ndona district are still unaccounted
for," Gerardus told The Jakarta Post from Ende, Flores.

Floods and landslides have buried public facilities, including
churches and schools, in the three regencies.

Kosapilawan said total material losses in the East Flores
regency had reached Rp 50 billion (US$5.88 million).

The East Flores administration is continuing to distribute aid
to flood victims in Larantuka, the capital of the regency. The
local administration has also prepared land for the resettlement
of flood and landslide victims.

Flores Timor deputy regent John Payong Beda said on Saturday
that the local administration was expecting donations from other
regencies.

Local legislative council member Yosua Mooy, however, warned
the local administration of possible irregularities during the
distribution of aid.

Meanwhile, Antara reported on Saturday that the East Nusa
Tenggara administration had distributed 25 tons of rice to areas
hit by floods.

The central government, through Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, has donated Rp 500 million. The
local chapter of the ruling party, the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), has also donated Rp 35
million while media tycoon Surya Paloh has donated Rp 300
million.

Despite the destruction and fatalities brought on by the
floods and landslides, East Flores Regent Felix Fernandez said on
Saturday that he was planning to organize a church service for
Good Friday, which falls on April 18.

"We won't let the floods affect us. Church services to observe
Good Friday will proceed as usual," Felix said.

Almost 80 percent of the population in Flores is Catholic.

Felix said communities, the military and police officers would
all lend a hand to clear away the rubble, mud and gravel from
roads and residential areas.

Flores has been hit by a series of disasters over the years,
including an earthquake in 1992 that killed 2,500 people.