Floods destroy thousands of hectares of West Java crops

JAKARTA (JP): More than 2,500 families in six subdistricts in South Bandung are expected to be affected by the likely failure of thousands of hectares of crops in the West Java regency that have been inundated by the overflowing Citarum river.

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from 5,000 waterlogged homes in the Baleendah, Ciparay, Majalaya, Bojongsoang, Rancaekek and Cileunyi subdistricts.

"Our crops will certainly fail as the paddy fields which have been inundated for more than five days is already decaying," Rohman, a farmer from Bojongemas village in Majalaya subdistrict was quoted by Antara as saying.

One local rescuer estimated that 935 hectares of paddy fields had been ruined in Majalaya alone.

E. Danasasmita, the chief of Tegalluar village in Bojongsoang subdistrict, said 611 hectares of paddy fields in his village were ruined, along with 53 hectares of fish ponds, 1,924 homes and many other public facilities.

The flood has also inundated a four-kilometer stretch of road connecting Bandung, Ciparay and Majalaya.

Residents have been forced to use rafts to travel around the area.

Officials have set up emergency shelters in village halls, schools and mosques on higher areas not affected by the flood.

Health officials have also had to be quick to react to reports of outbreaks of diarrhea and water-borne skin disease.

Large makeshift tents have been erected to function as communal kitchens to provide meals for residents in the area.

However, residents said many of them had not been able to get regular meals due to limited food supplies.

Relief workers have made strong appeals to the authorities to channel more supplies, such as instant noodles, salted fish and other foodstuffs, to the area as quickly as possible.

Minister of Social Services Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana is scheduled to visit the flood-hit areas today, local officials said. (43/byg)