Huge flood causes extensive damage

Huge flood causes extensive damage

BOGOR (JP): Extensive flooding from four days of torrential
rains and storms through Tuesday destroyed crops, irrigation
systems, roads, schools, and hundreds of houses in 11 villages in
Bogor regency.

Mimi, 39, a local resident at Gunung Picung village said on
Wednesday flood waters rose suddenly while she and her family
were chatting in their house located beside a river.

"We heard a rumbling sound so I abruptly grabbed my child and
rushed to a neighbor's house," Mimi said.

"My house is now flooded by water about one meter high," she
said, adding that the flood also brought big rocks down the
river.

Assistant to the secretary of the regency, Harun Heryana, said
on Tuesday that the other 10 damaged villages are Purna Bakti,
Ciasmara, Ciasikan, Gunung Sari, Cibening, Gunung Bundar,
Pasarelan, Pamijahan, and Cimayang.

According to Harun, flood waters overflowed the banks of six
rivers, namely Cikoneng, Cibeber, Cikuwung, Cigamea, Ciampea, and
Cigede coursing through the villages.

So far, he said, no fatalities have been reported in the
disaster, estimated to have caused Rp 4 billion in damages.

Besides destroying 42 hectares of rice fields and 60 fish
hatchery ponds, the flood also ruined the main road connecting
the 11 villages and damaged one state elementary school, one
Islamic secondary school, and two Islamic boarding schools.

About 2,000 cows, belonging to farming groups in Ciasmara,
Purwabakti, and Cibening are feared to be in danger of perishing
if they do not get water after the flood destroyed 387 running
water systems used by the cattle in the three villages.

During a survey of the location on Wednesday, regent Agus
Utara Effendi said that irrigation would be prioritized to be
rebuilt considering its vital function to the community. (21/08)