Flood victims under threat of illness

Flood victims under threat of illness

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Dozens of villagers in Central
Lombok were facing an outbreak of diarrhea following the
inundation of several areas in the small town due to a poor
drainage system.

The spokesman for the local administration, Suardi, said tons
of garbage had been abandoned in the town and this could trigger
an epidemic of diarrhea or dengue fever to the local people.

"All ground water in the town has been contaminated," he said
here on Monday.

He added that hundreds of people had been relocated to a
junior high school in the town since their homes were inundated
by incessant rain which began last Saturday.

He said the flood was probably the worst he had seen in ten
years.

He also called on residents not to dump their waste in the
environment because it also contributed to the flooding. --Antara