Demak Flood Displaced Persons Surge to 2,893 Due to Embankment Breach
Flooding that has struck Demak Regency in Central Java has forced thousands of residents to leave their homes. The Demak Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has recorded 2,893 individuals from nine villages evacuating due to the overflow of the Tuntang River, exacerbated by the breach of the embankment.
The Head of the BPBD Demak Implementation Unit, Agus Sukiyono, stated that the displaced persons are currently scattered across at least 14 locations. These evacuation sites include village halls, sub-district offices, places of worship, schools, and residents’ homes.
“Thousands of displaced persons have evacuated to various places, ranging from village halls, sub-district offices, places of worship, schools, to residents’ homes. There are a total of 14 evacuation locations,” said Agus on Saturday (4/4), quoted from Antara.
The local government, along with volunteers, continues to handle the needs of the displaced persons. These efforts include registering affected residents and fulfilling basic requirements, such as logistics, healthcare services, and providing temporary shelter.
The flooding occurred after the Tuntang River embankment breached at six points on Friday (3/4) morning. The details are as follows: three points in Trimulyo Village with damage lengths of around 30 metres and 10 metres, and the other three points in Sidoharjo Village with lengths of about 15 metres.
The embankment breach caused river water to overflow and inundate residential areas. The affected villages are spread across four sub-districts, namely Guntur Sub-district (Trimulyo Village, Sidoharjo, Turitempel, Tlogorejo, and Bumiharjo Villages), Karangtengah Sub-district (Ploso Village), Wonosalam Sub-district (Lempuyang Village), and Kebonagung Sub-district (Sarimulyo and Solorire Villages).
Water levels are reported to vary, reaching 100 to 140 centimetres at some points. Nevertheless, the BPBD states that the flooding trend is beginning to show a decline in several areas.
“However, the trend for today is starting to decrease, both in Trimulyo Village and other villages,” he said.
To date, joint teams are still conducting further registrations and evacuations for residents suspected of remaining in their homes. The Demak Regency Government has also taken several emergency response measures, such as coordinating with village governments and sub-district coordination forums, assessing affected areas, and distributing sandbags to reinforce the breached embankment.
Additionally, ongoing efforts include monitoring affected areas, registering damage, and cross-agency coordination to ensure that disaster management runs optimally and resident safety is maintained.