Floods hit villages in Riau

PEKANBARU, Riau: A number of villages here and in Kampar district have been inundated following incessant rains over the past several days, Antara reported on Friday.

The flooded villages include Meranti Pandak, Rumbai, and Teratak Buluh, where water reached up to almost 3 meters in depth.

Meranti Pandak village head Agus Salim said some 1,680 families could be affected if the floods worsen. Makeshift tents have been erected in case evacuation is needed.

This week floods have began hitting various areas in Indonesia such as Lubuk Linggau in South Sumatra, and several sections of roads linking Bandung with Tasikmalaya in West Java.

Meanwhile, in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, shrimp farmers in the Bukari Integrated Economic Development Zone have expressed fears that rains would destroy their ponds. Floods last year destroyed a vast area of ponds and caused Rp 5 billion in financial losses.

"Even one day of rain is enough to worry us. Several days of rains would cause major flooding because we don't have any dams," said Suradjuddin, the chief of Poleang Timur district, which is one of seven districts in Bukari.

There are around 3,700 hectares of shrimp ponds in the 7,000 hectare area. Most of the farmers are migrants from South Sulawesi.

Shrimp farming is one of the most important sources of income for the area besides cacao and coconut plantations.

Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin recently visited the area and witnessed how one day's rainfall inundated several villages. He blamed the disaster on denuded forests in the area. (swe)