Floods hit 1,470 houses

BANDUNG: At least 1,470 houses in five villages at Baleendah and Pamengpeuk districts in Bandung regency were inundated in the early hours of Monday following a massive overflow from Citarum river.

Among villages badly submerged in the natural disaster was Kampung Papak Gede in Andir subdistrict, in which the water level reached three meters high.

No casualties were reported in the floods that have temporarily disconnected the route linking Dayeuhkolot and Banjaran, about 20 kilometers south of here.

A Pamengpeuk district official Hamid Slamet said the absence of torrential rains helped the water subside later in the day.

"Since 1989, these areas have been prone to flooding and the local administration have tried to curb it by digging the Citarum river and handling sedimentation problems. But so far nothing has worked," Hamid said.

The losses resulted from the floods were estimated at Rp 89 million. (25/edt)