Flood victims lack food, medicines

Flood victims lack food, medicines

Agus Maryono
The Jakarta Post
Banyumas

"Pak (Dad) ... I'm starving, give me something to eat," five-
year-old Darno whimpered.

Raising his voice, Darno repeated his request several times,
but his father, Kartanom, remained silent. Kastiyem, Darno's
mother, embraced him and pulled him onto her lap.

"We just ate a piece of boiled sweet potato (ubi) each. We
have nothing to eat, nothing to cook. Our rice stock and all our
belongings have been swept away by the flood," Kartanom, 45,
said.

"The children have only eaten boiled sweet potato since
morning. We are ashamed to ask other people for money or food,"
he said pointing to his three children. Darno is the second
child, the smallest is an 18-month-old boy.

Kastiyem, 40, just wept, embracing Darno with her right hand
while breastfeeding Darno's younger brother.

Kartanom said he was very upset. "What should or can I do? No
money to buy something to eat. Asking neighbors to help is
impossible as most of them have a similar story."

Kartanom, Kastiyem and their three children have been spending
their days on a wooden bed. The bed is propped up in such a way
that it is 20 centimeters higher than the water level which
reaches more than 50 centimeters.

Their family is one out of 100 families in the village of
Sikampuh who refused to seek refuge, arguing that by staying at
home they could do more for their families.

At least 1,500 houses in the village of Sikampuh, in the Kroya
district of Cilacap regency, have been engulfed by floodwaters
since Tuesday.

The floods have hit more than 20 districts in the regencies of
Cilacap, Banyumas and Kebumen, which are located in the southern
plane of Central Java.

Despite aid contributions from various institutions and
individuals, Kartanom and his neighbors have still not received
anything.

"We have not received anything from the village, regency or
provincial administrations," said Wagiman, 45, another flood
victim.

The administration has also failed to open an emergency post
for flood victims in the village, despite the number of houses
flooded.

Cilacap regency spokesman Aris Riyanto said on Thursday he had
no idea whether the Sikampuh flood victims, who refused to seek
refuge, had received any aid.

"What I know is that the governor has given 10 tons of rice,
which will be distributed to the flood victims. The distribution
is time-consuming,"

Flood victims in the districts of Sumpiuh and Tambak in the
neighboring regency of Banyumas also have heart-breaking story.

They are all displaced and being temporarily accommodated in
village halls with very limited food or clothing.

"We need blankets. Many of us sleep with a piece of newspaper
as a mattress. We get meals (from the village head's office)
irregularly. The amount of the food also varies," said Wardiyo,
one of the flood victims at the Tambak village hall camp.

The flood victims have to line up for their daily meals. There
are times when they have to jostle, vying for a meal due to the
very limited food made available by the regency and village
administrations.

"We have had to use the floodwater to bathe," Wardiyo added.
Some people have been experiencing skin problems.

"They are in a bad condition, lacking food, medicine and
clothing," said Suyatno, coordinator of the regency's natural
disaster task force.

Suyatno confirmed that the governor had donated Rp 100 million
in cash and 10 tons of rice. "But the most effective method of
distribution is still being discussed."

"The regency has also donated Rp 400 million, which has been
allocated from the rest of the social safety net fund," he said.

"The current expenses for the flood-affected families are
taken from the regency's emergency fund."