Floods continue to inundate North Gorontalo's KAT area

Gorontalo (ANTARA) - Floods continue to inundate the Remote Indigenous Community (KAT) Didingga area in Didingga Village, Biau Subdistrict, North Gorontalo Province on Wednesday. North Gorontalo Regent Thariq Modanggu said five villages were flooded on Tuesday (26/5) at 15:00 WITA: Luhuto, Bualo, Biau, Omuto, and Didingga, with water levels reaching adult knee height and the worst-hit KAT Didingga area submerged up to window level with strong currents. “I chose to stay at the flood site to ensure the swift movement of regional apparatus and emergency assistance,” Modanggu said from the flood site. “Approximately 3,500 residents have been affected across the five villages, with the most severe impact in KAT Didingga where water levels have not receded and even rose again after briefly dropping by 20 centimetres early Wednesday.” He chose to stay overnight and perform Eid prayers in the subdistrict after arriving at Biau Subdistrict early Wednesday with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and Social Affairs Department, bringing emergency aid. After Eid prayers, Modanggu visited the flood site, urging all KAT Didingga residents to evacuate immediately to safer areas as floodwaters remained high. He distributed bread and other aid to affected residents and inspected the community kitchen set up by the local government. “We have borrowed the Nutritionally Balanced Free Meal (MBG) kitchen. Coordination with SPPG and the Foundation has been done to facilitate the MBG kitchen borrowing, but all food supplies are provided by the local government,” he said. Preliminary data indicates no fatalities from the Didingga flash floods, but material losses are estimated at hundreds of millions of rupiah. Three houses collapsed, one was washed away, and 20 out of 54 houses in KAT Didingga suffered total damage. “We are coordinating with relevant agencies and the provincial government for emergency aid support, as the local government cannot handle everything alone. Provincial government teams are expected to arrive this afternoon,” he added.