Floods inundate thousands of homes

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)