Flood kills six people in West Sumatra

Flood kills six people in West Sumatra

JAKARTA (JP): Six people have been killed in flashfloods that
attacked Solok regency, West Sumatra, on Tuesday.

Regent Nurmawan said the floods originated in overflowing
rivers and tributaries that pass through the regency, Antara
reported.

Dozens of houses were swept away by the flood and hundreds
others were inundated. Many hectares of ricefields have also been
affected by the flooding, which hit the regency on Tuesday.

Nurmawan said it was the worst flooding to hit the regency in
17 years.

The six people who died were all residents of Sako village in
Muaro Labuah district, which has been the worst affected by the
floods. The district is surrounded by the Batang Lembang, Batang
Bangko and Batang Suliti rivers and their tributaries.

The rivers have overflowed because it has been pouring rain
continuously in almost all parts of West Sumatra since January.

"Some of the winding tributaries are too small for the strong
current," the regent said.

The regent town of Solok has also been affected by floods with
water as high as three meters reported in some areas, according
to Antara.

So far, however, no casualties have been reported, Solok Mayor
Matsuddin Anang said.

Meanwhile, from Semarang, Central Java, Antara reported that
floods have submerged hundreds of ricefields and there are fears
that crops will be totally destroyed.

The Central Java administration said massive flooding had been
reported in both the Pemalang and Jepara regencies. (emb)