Floods inundate thousands of homes

PADANG, West Sumatra: As many as 1,668 houses in seven villages of the 50 Kota regency were inundated by floods after incessant rain since Saturday, Antara reported.

Regent Azis Haily said as many as 2,000 people have been evacuated from the worst-hit Kapur IX subdistrict where the flood reached a height of 1.5 meters.

The seven villages hit were Batu Kajang, Tanjuang Medan, Banjar Ranah, Pangkalan Utara, Pangkalan Selatan, Pangkalan Timur, and Pangkalan Tengah. About 400 hectares of paddy fields were destroyed.

"We haven't estimated the losses yet, but there are no casualties," Azis said, adding that the flood was the biggest since 1992.

Azis said his administration had deployed a team to the disaster-hit location to provide assistance, but he called on all parties to help.

The same plight also befell thousands of residents in West Sumatra's Solok regency.

Hundreds of houses were inundated by floodwaters in the Muaro Labuah village of Sungai Pagu subdistrict.

Solok's administration spokesman Wizarman confirmed the report, saying that it had also deployed a team to assist the area. No casualties were reported. (aan)