Floods and quakes disrupt traffic, cause panic to residents
The Jakarta Post, Surabaya/Pekanbaru
Protracted inundation in some parts of Rokan Hilir regency disrupted traffic on Tuesday along the bustling inter-provincial highway connecting Riau and North Sumatra provinces.
Motorists were forced to slow down and maneuver through the most accessible parts of the road, causing snarling traffic congestion along some parts of the highway.
Head of Tanah Putih subdistrict in Rokan Hilir Achmad Arslam said the flooding was causing the slow deterioration of the main road.
"Prior to today's inundation, the road was already in poor condition from heavy loads carried by vehicles plying the route. However, there has not been any proper reconstruction while the road is getting worse," he said.
He said that potholes had been filled, but could not withstand the constant heavy traffic.
Arslam added that the main road was built next to a river that overflows, which contributes to the road's poor condition.
Government officials have been dispatched to monitor the flooding and to access how to reduce traffic congestion along the road.
In a related development, two subdistricts in Rokan Hilir, Tanah Putih and Pujud have been inundated over the past few days, causing residents to seek refuge on higher ground.
"Floodwater has reached our ceiling. We fled before we had to face greater risks," one of the flood victims, Idrus, said.
By Monday, more than 1,000 households had sought refuge from the flooding.
The flood has also dealt a severe blow to educational activities in three subdistricts of Rokan Hilir in the past two months.
"Students should have been back in school on Monday after a one-week holiday, but we have instructed them to stay at home as the school buildings are inundated," said Yahya, a teacher at one flooded village in Rantau Kopar, as quoted by Antara.
He said that school activities had been frequently disrupted in the past two months from the unpredictable inundation. "Even if we persist in giving lessons, we have to do it under tarpaulin. Students attended classes when the water was not too deep," he said.
Bondowoso and Situbondo regencies in East Java were hit by a moderate quake of 4.8 on the Richter scale on Tuesday -- nine days after the deadly quake-triggered tsunami in Aceh and North Sumatra.
No casualties or damage were reported.
Bagus Hariyo, an earthquake observer with the meteorology and geophysics office in Tretes, Pasuruan, said the tremor hit the town at 10:08 a.m.
The earthquake's epicenter was 16 kilometers east of Bondowoso but it could be felt as far away as Ijen mountain, which is located on the border of Bondowoso and Banyuwangi.
"The earthquake's epicenter was less than 60 kilometers below the Earth's surface, so it did not cause any damage," Bagus said.
The office, however, has also issued warnings of possible new quakes to the public and the local administration.
The quake was long enough to cause panic in the regency. Activities came to a sudden halt, with employees and officials running out of their offices to rescue their families back home.
Other people headed to higher buildings.
Rasmita, a government official, went straight home to his family. "We're afraid it might turn out just like in Aceh," he said.