Floods worsen in Cilacap, 350 families flee

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Cilacap, Jateng

Floods spread on Friday to the South and Central Cilacap districts in Cilacap regency, Central Java, forcing 350 families in both districts to evacuate.

Gatot Arif, the head of public relations at the Cilacap administration, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the floods had been triggered by a downpour on Thursday evening.

As of Friday, 14 of Cilacap's 23 districts were flooded after torrential rains hit the region on Tuesday.

The floods in the area have claimed five lives.

In Kebumen regency, at least 20,000 flood victims are continuing to stay at makeshift evacuation centers scattered throughout 73 villages.

"Heavy downpour has continued unabated, and we are worried as our stock of rice is going down fast," Kebumen regency public relations staff member Sulistiowati told the Post on Friday.

Floods in the districts of Puring, Kuwarsan, Adimuluyo and Mirit, Kebumen regency, have reportedly subsided, but people have chosen to stay on at makeshift shelters because they fear more floods.

Coordinating Minister for Peoples' Welfare Jusuf Kalla visited the flood victims sheltering in Puring, Kebumen regency on Friday.

His entourage included Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Al Munawar, Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea and Indonesian Red Cross chairman Mar'ie Muhamad.

During the visit, Jusuf donated, among other things, 100 tons of rice, Rp 200 million (US$20,000) in cash and a rubber raft, while Jacob donated five tons of rice.

Although donations continue to pour in, flood victims in Puring district, Kebumen have complained that they have not received enough food and medicine. Residents of Madureja village, who were hardest hit by the floods, have not received a sufficient food supply.

"There are about 125 families here and we have not received any food or medicine since Tuesday," Madureja village chief Marsudi Pamuja Widayat told the Post on Friday.

Most houses in Madureja were destroyed by floods, and the village has been submerged since Tuesday.

"Most people living in this village are very poor, and their houses are made of bamboo. When the floods came, their houses were swept away almost immediately," he said.

In some villages in Banyumas, people are complaining about shortages of food and medicine.

As of Friday, authorities in Banyumas had distributed nine tons of rice to flood victims. The food supply, however, is severely limited.

"We are facing a rice shortage. We have been spending the Rp 100 million donated by the Central Java governor to buy basic needs, including blankets, rubber rafts and other things," a Banyumas public relations officer told the Post.

In Banyumas, three districts were still flooded, with victims complaining about itchy skin. Medical supplies are also limited, even though doctors are visiting flood victims daily.

Meanwhile, PT Kereta Api Indonesia is still struggling to repair the south railway track that links Yogyakarta and Bandung, which was damaged by floods on Tuesday.

"We still don't know when we can repair the track. If the rains continue, it will be very difficult for us to repair the railway," Kebumen PT KAI public relations head Supriyadi told the Post.