Massive floods leave much of Indramayu under water

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.