Heavy rain floods 538 homes in Pati, affecting 1,050 people

Despite ongoing flooding, no residents have been evacuated and there are no casualties. PATI (ANTARA) - Floods have struck Ketitangwetan Village in Batangan District, Pati Regency, Central Java, following heavy rainfall that caused a surge in water levels, leading to overflowing rivers and inundated residential areas on Monday. According to the Acting Head of the Pati Regency Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Martinus Budi Prasetya, heavy rain occurred from Sunday evening (24 May) to Monday morning (25 May). ‘Water from the upper reaches of the Widodaren River, including from Jaken, Pucakwangi, and Todanan districts. The Widodaren River Basin (DAS) up to the sea, including the Gedong River and Kaliombo, has become shallow due to sediment and garbage blocking under bridges, affecting water flow,’ he said. Of the hundreds of affected homes, 150 were inundated inside with water levels between 10-50 centimetres. The flood also impacted 57 places of worship, including mosques, mushallas, and churches, as well as yards, rice fields, rice mills, and village access roads. One resident, Mail (36), explained this is the second flood in the past week. After heavy rain on Saturday night (23 May) which receded, it rained again on Sunday night (24 May), causing flooding once more. ‘Today’s flood (25 May) was worse than the first, with more widespread inundation,’ he said.