Disasters claim more lives in Java and Bali
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
At least 14 people were reported killed in floods and landslides caused by incessant rain in various parts of West and East Java, and Bali on Thursday, bringing the total death toll to 22.
Meanwhile, continuing heavy rain has caused the floods to spread to more areas and inflict even greater material losses.
Imam Supardi, the chief of the East Java provincial task force for the handling of natural disasters, said that 12 more people were reported to have been killed in floods that hit Sampang in Madura, the provincial capital Surabaya, Situbondo, Mojokerto, Bojonegoro and Sidoarjo, raising the death toll in this province to 14. Two casualties were reported to the task force on Wednesday.
The authorities have taken emergency measures, like evacuating villagers trapped in flooded areas and distributing food to the victims.
The floods, caused by days of torrential rain, have also paralyzed the main road linking Surabaya and Banyuwangi, which connects Java and Bali. Many trees have fallen on to the highway, blocking traffic for a length of 20 kilometers.
"We hope that we will be able to fully clear the road of trees and mud by Saturday," said Imam.
He also said the fact that many dikes had burst was worsening conditions.
As to the thousands of hectares of rice fields that had been destroyed by the floods, Imam said the provincial administration would exempt the owners from repaying loan installments and would provide them later on with rice seeds free of charge.
In Kuningan, West Java, a 50-year-old farmer, Wasni bin Surya, was killed and two children were seriously injured in a landslide that hit Jabranti village, Karangkencan district.
The body of Wasni, who was working in his rice field when the landslide occurred, was recovered some 300 meters away floating in the Cibadra river.
Suci, 5, and Apid, 7, suffered serious injuries when a landslide hit their village, Lebakherang, in Lebakherang district.
Local authorities have instructed villagers living in areas prone to landslides to be ready to flee the areas or be evacuated at any time due to fears that the persistent rain could trigger a disaster.
As of Thursday afternoon, hundreds of houses in Bongas district were also inundated up to a depth of between 50 centimeters and 70 centimeters. The flooding occurred when a nearby irrigation ditch burst due to the huge volume of water that had backed up.
Hundreds of hectares of shrimp and fish ponds in at least six districts in nearby Indramayu regency have also been affected by the floods.
AR Hakim, chief of the local fisheries agency, estimated that the floods would cause a loss of hundreds of millions of rupiah.
There are 13,500 hectares of shrimp and fish ponds in 12 districts along the coast of Indramayu.
Search and rescue workers in Buleleng regency, Bali, discovered on Thursday the body of 10-year-old I Gede Wirtaya, one of seven people buried by a landslide that hit Antapura village in Tajakula district.
Buleleng Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Moh. Safei said that search and rescue workers were still striving to recover the body of one more victim, believed to be 12-year-old I gede Sukamara, also from the same village.
The bodies of the other five victims were found on Wednesday.
Continuing heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in the Tajakula and Grokgrak districts in the regency.
Governor Dewa Beratha said that he was deeply concerned with the tragedy and promised to pay a visit to the victims on Friday.
In Brebes regency, Central Java, torrential rain also caused landslides in five villages in Bantarkawung district.
The disaster destroyed at least 42 houses, two places of worship, a bridge and an Islamic boarding school, and caused the authorities to evacuate hundreds of villagers.
There have been no reports so far of casualties in the disaster.
The people affected by the landslides have complained about a lack of attention from the authorities. "All we can do right now is to flee to safer areas," a resident said.
From Bandarlampung, Lampung, Antara news agency reported that floods caused by heavy downpours and rainstorms had also hit some locations in West, East and South Lampung, and Tanggamus regencies.
There were no casualties, but the disaster has destroyed a number of houses, public facilities and a large area of crops.
The authorities on Thursday warned people living in areas prone to floods to be watchful for the occurrence of a more serious disaster because of the continuing rain. The Meteorological and Geophysics Agency has predicted that heavy rain would persist in the province over the coming days.