Flooding drives people out of homes in Kalimantan, Sumatra
Flooding drives people out of homes in Kalimantan, Sumatra
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Flooding over the past week around the country drove people from
their homes and damaged infrastructure and crops.
Hundreds of people in Palembang, South Sumatra, who live on
the banks of the Musi River had to seek refuge after the river
burst its banks and inundated their houses.
"It is very frustrating, the water just comes and go almost
every day. We are tired of cleaning up the mud," one Palembang
resident, Cek Inten, was quoted by Antara as saying on Sunday.
More severe flooding was reported in Muara Enim, Ogan Komering
Ilir, Musi Banyuasin and Prabumulih regencies.
In South Barito, Central Kalimantan, residents living on the
banks of the Barito River have been tested by over a week of
flooding.
Floodwaters have submerged homes and the road connecting two
neighborhoods in the capital of the province.
The local administration has distributed aid for residents
affected by the flooding.
South Barito administration spokesman Jumadi said packages of
rice, cooking oil and sugar were being distributed to families in
seven villages.
In the neighboring regency of North Barito, flooding has
submerged paddy fields.
Floodwaters also have damaged government buildings, school
buildings and community health centers.
Faced with a possible harvest failure, rice growers in the
area have demanded the local government write off their loans.
In Lampung, intense rain over the past several days has lead
to flash flood, damaging a highway connecting the province with
the neighboring province of South Sumatra.
Parts of Tulangbawang and Way Kanan regencies were still
underwater on Sunday. Flooding in the regencies has killed at
least two people.
Damage to eight kilometers of highway in Tulang Bawang regency
has forced authorities to divert traffic. Motorists are being
advised to take a detour through Way Kanan regency.
The heavy rain has caused concern about the possibility of
landslides along the highway.
"In the past week, there have been eight reports of
landslides," local official Taufiq Hidayat said as quoted by
Antara news agency.
Sumatra and Kalimantan are among numerous islands in the
country hit by flooding in the past several months.