Lake Tempe overflows

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: More than 1,800 houses remained inundated as waters from Lake Tempe in Wajo regency have not subsided after it overflowed Wednesday.

About 15,000 hectares of paddy fields and 600 hectares of cocoa plantations have also been affected

Wajo regent Dachlan Maulana said the lake overflowed after a week-long downpour.

He said the local administration had established rubber dams at nine river tributaries of the lake in anticipation of possible flooding, but the dams were not completely effective because of the heavy downpour.

Although the lake overflows almost every year, he described this year's flood as the worst in 40 years.

The flood also damaged the road connecting the regencies of Bone and Soppeng. (37)