Floods hit crops in Sumatra; another victim found in Bali

JAKARTA (JP): Floods have hit South Sumatra regencies but residents have refused to budge despite several warnings from the authorities, saying Thursday they most feared for the safety of their crops.

Meanwhile the search for victims of last Thursday's landslides in Gianyar, Bali, found one more victim, with a further casualty still believed to be under the mud. Following another landslide on Tuesday in Jember, East Java, rescuers on Thursday said they were also looking for two more people.

Hundreds of hectares of fields planted with paddy, corn and other crops in Lahat and Muara Enim regencies were reportedly affected by flash floods after heavy rains had fallen for three days.

Antara reported that in both regencies rivers had overflowed. In Lahat floods hit some 500 hectares of fields in the Pulaupinang, Kikim and Merapi districts. Water entered homes but residents worried most about their food supplies.

"Floods here never sweep away our homes," an informal leader, Alkodri, 65, said in Pulaupinang. "We only fear for our crops, as the paddy stalks will get spoiled if they are continuously in water." The father of five said if the flood waters did not subside within five days all crops would be damaged.

He said the mostly badly affected crops were the ones in fields nearest to the Lematang river in Lahat.

In Muara Enim, the worst hit area was in Gunungmegang district. Sources here said flash floods occur twice a year in the village along the Enim River.

Apart from damage to at least 50 hectares of crops, the agency reported that hundreds of homes were also under water.

"Flash floods here often occur and our homes are on stilts, so it's the crops that we're most worried about," said villager A. Taufik, 53. Water usually subsides after two days, residents said.

"Last year we lost around 200 hectares of crops to the floods," Taufik said. The floods lasted for more than a week.

Muara Enim Regent Sofyan Effendie said villagers of Gunungmegang Dalam had been asked to evacuate, adding he has often said they should move because the low land was not suitable for residential purposes. However his reminders have gone unheeded.

Lahat Regent Harunata was quoted as saying that residents, particularly those living along the Lematang river, should be even more vigilant this year against flash floods and landslides.

In Jember two more victims were reportedly still missing following landslides on Tuesday.

Coordinator of the local flood and natural disaster control unit, Djolli Kitty, said Thursday that search operations for Miati, 47, and Layati, 13, had so far failed due to continuous rains.

The landslide in Baban Barat hamlet of Harjo Mulyo village reportedly hit three people including those still missing. The site of the state-run forestry firm Perhutani is prone to landslides, blamed on frequent land clearing for settlements here.

In Gianyar, Bali, residents joining a rescue team are still looking for one more victim of the landslide in the Timbul hamlet of Pupuan village.

Also on Thursday one more victim, I Nyoman Budiasa, was recovered at the site some 40 kilometers to the northeast of Denpasar, bringing the toll to 36 so far.

Antara reported the finding of Budiasa, 38, added spirit to rescuers still digging for Anak Agung Anom Adnyana, believed to be the remaining victim under the mud, though initial estimates were 50 victims.

Military and police, students and residents led by Regent Cokorda Gde Budi Suryawan were still braving rains which brought threats of another landslide to the search attempt.

A soothsayer, the agency said, was also brought in by relatives of the missing to help with the search. (anr)