Massive floods leave much of Indramayu under water

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java

Massive floods submerged a greater area of Indramayu regency on Thursday, inundating paddy fields and residential houses.

Indramayu regent Irianto M.S. Syaifuddin said that, as of Thursday, 106 subdistricts in the regency had been affected, far more than the day before, when 62 subdistricts had been affected by floods.

He added that the area of flooded paddy fields had doubled.

"The floods washed over 23,000 hectares of paddy fields today, a sharp increase from the day before, when 10,000 hectares of paddy fields were submerged by floods," Irianto said.

He added that the 23,000 hectares amounted to 22 percent of the total 103,000 hectares of paddy fields in Indramayu regency.

Indramayu is one of the prominent rice producers of Java island.

Besides inundating paddy fields, the flooding also obstructed main roads here, connecting Losarang with Cikedung district and Kandanghaur with Losarang district.

The Losarang to Cikedung route was obstructed after water inundated Pegagan bridge in the Losarang district. Cipanas river had also overflowed, so that water inundated almost two kilometers of the road.

Meanwhile, the nearby Kandanghaur to Losarang route was flooded when a bridge in Cilet subdistrict, Kandanghaur, was inundated.

The water levels on the roads of those two routes was 30 to 50 centimeters deep.

The northern coastal highway of Java island was also flooded. This busy road connects Jakarta with other provinces on the island.

Pools of water 10 to 50 centimeters deep could be found along the highway in Eretan Kulon, Eretan Wetan, Karangsinom, Karanganyar and Kiajaran Wetan subdistricts.

It is feared that the highway could also be impassable if torrential rains continued to pound the area.

Indramayu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Johnny Suroto said that the police had prepared an alternative route.

"If the highway is obstructed, we will direct the flow of cars to the Cikamurang to Subang route, which will allow travellers to reach other provinces of Java island, such as West Java and Central Java," said Johnny.

Meanwhile, 500 residents of Kandanghaur district, the area which has been hardest hit by the flooding, sought refuge in safer areas on Thursday, after their homes were flooded.

"My home is inundated, we can no longer stay there," said Tarina, 40, who has been living in a tent for four days with her family.

The evacuees complained that the government had ignored their situation.

As their money was running low, the evacuees -- who are living in tents along the highway on the north coast of Java -- began to ask passersby for money.

"We can't raise money, because we live in tents. The government has yet to disburse aid," he said.