Landslides, floods cut access to Padang, death toll hits 60

Landslides, floods cut access to Padang, death toll hits 60

PADANG, West Sumatra (JP): There was again little sunshine
here on Monday as showers continued in a province wracked by
disaster which has now left at least 60 dead and forced some
75,000 people to flee their homes.

Landslides and floods after days of rain have paralyzed access
to Padang leaving the route through Lembah Anai, some 70
kilometers north of here as the only passable route.

Apart from the 60 dead, some 35 others have been declared
missing and are feared dead, provincial spokesman Yuen Karnova
said.

"There are also at least 75,000 refugees from nine regencies
and mayoralties hit by the disasters, namely Pasaman, Agam, Tanah
Datar, Solok mayoralty, Solok regency, Pesisir Selatan, 50 Kota,
Padang and Pariaman," Karnova added.

Rescue efforts are also being hampered due to the conditions.

"These people are on the brink of starvation," he said of the
situation.

At least 100 houses have been swept away while thousands
remain inundated along with some 320-kilometers of vital roads
connecting the region.

"We fear for those refugees since access to communication,
aid, clean water and food have been disconnected".

"People living in downtown Padang still have enough supplies,
but we don't know how long it will last," Karnova said, adding
that colds and diarrhea are becoming increasingly rampant.

"Rescue workers are still trying to locate the bodies of those
who were trapped in the mudslide. The areas worst hit are in
Pesisir Selatan areas of Bayang, Batang Kapas and Barung Barung
Balatai as well as Malalo in Tanah Datar regency," he said.

Others

West Sumatra was not the only place facing severe calamities
as a result of the weather.

In Aceh at least 15 people have been killed due to floods
caused by the incessant rains.

Of Monday's 10 fatalities, two were located in Banda Aceh,
five in Bireun regency and three in North Aceh regency.

Electricity and telephone services over the past two days have
also been cutoff in several areas while mudslides have blocked
major thoroughfares in the province.

In North Sumatra, Dairi Regent M.P. Tumanggor said that his
staff had recovered five bodies buried in a mudslide in Dairi,
bringing the death toll to at least 20 people since the incident
took place in the regency on Saturday.

He said mudslides had also occurred in 60 locations, blocking
several major roads in the regency which is home to over 302,000
people.

His initial predictions puts rehabilitation of infrastructure
at about Rp 30 billion.

Search and Rescue teams in Tanjung Mulia village, Salak Dairi
district recovered on Monday three bodies, which had been buried
in the mudslide since Saturday evening.

Dairi Police deputy chief Ass. Supt. Bachtiarsyah said efforts
to search for dozens of others under the mud would continue.

Similarly in South Tapanuli regency, six people have died near
the estuary of the Batangtoru river. Dozens of families have also
been forced to flee to higher ground.

Strong currents from the overflow of the Batangtoru river
engulfed dozens of houses, swept away several bridges and flooded
tens of hectares of paddy fields.

"Several villages in Batang Angkola district were also flooded
by the Batang Angkola river," South Tapanuli Regent H.M. Shaleh
Harahap said.

South Tapanuli is home to some 750,000 people.

In Jakarta, President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday expressed
his grief and condolences to the families of the victims in the
three provinces. The President in a statement pledged that the
government will take quick measures in helping the residents.

Separately the operational director of state-owned electricity
company PT PLN Tunggono said in Jakarta on Monday that some Rp 10
billion would be allocated in anticipation of damaged electrical
infrastructure in the flood-wracked provinces.

He specifically noted that there were four power transmission
towers in West Sumatra which were in critical condition and may
have to be moved.

"To permanently move a single tower needs about Rp 2 billion,"
Tunggono said.(28/39/edt/lup)