Houses deluged in Bogor

BOGOR: A total of 12 buildings, home to 17 families, in Cibogor subdistrict, Bogor, slid down an embankment Friday morning while at the same time dozens of houses were submerged in water at the Sari Gaferi housing complex at Bojonggede district.

The 12 buildings, which collapsed at 7:30 a.m., were located on the edge of a 50-meter embankment above the Cipakancilan river.

On Wednesday, three other houses in the area also collapsed.

The landslide forced PD Mamin, a producer of ice blocks, to close down business. The landslide also widened the riverbank by two meters and has put other houses in danger along the bank.

Siti Sumiati, 36, said she felt the house beginning to slide at 2 a.m.

"I couldn't sleep the past few days due to the pounding rain and the fear that this (landslide) would happen," she said in a state of confusion. She must now take refuge in the subdistrict office.

Meanwhile, dozens of houses in Sari Gaferi, several fish ponds and a public health center in Bojonggede were damaged from floodwater after the Kemuning pond, Kali Baru and Caringin river all overflowed. -- JP