Floods destroy shrimp pond

PANGKEP, South Sulawesi: Floods have destroyed at least 1,500 hectares of a shrimp pond here, some 52 kilometers north of the provincial capital of Makassar, causing losses totaling billions of rupiah.

The floods -- the result of heavy downpours which began on Dec. 8 at the beginning of the Ramadhan fasting month -- have also inundated residential areas in Bungoro district.

Adding to locals' woes, a typhoon destroyed tens of houses in Bungoro.

"Financial losses caused by the floods could reach Rp 2 billion," Bungoro district head Fatahuddin said on Monday.

He said the disaster was a big blow to the shrimp pond owners. "They planned to harvest the shrimp and milkfish between December and January, and now the dream has been washed away," he said.

In neighboring areas, many farmers were forced to carry out an early harvest because of the floods.

Shrimp pond owner Faisal said one milkfish was sold for between Rp 1,000 and Rp 1,500, while the normal price was Rp 3,000 each.

"Each farmer has suffered at least a Rp 10 million loss due to the sales rush," he said. (27/sur)