NTT struggles for clean water after flooding and mudslides
NTT struggles for clean water after flooding and mudslides
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Flood victims in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) joined
hands to clean the mud out of hundreds of wells in the search for
clean water, following last week's major floods and mudslides
that killed over 50 people throughout the province.
Belu deputy regent Bria Yohannes said on Monday that securing
access to clean water was urgent to prevent disease from
developing among the locals a week after the serious flooding.
"Cleaning out the wells is the first thing people must do to
secure clean water and prevent infectious diseases from
spreading," said Bria as quoted by Antara. "Right now clean water
is more important than food."
He said hundreds of wells were scattered across Belu, which
has a population of more than 240,000.
Many of the wells became inundated with mud when the floods
and mudslides hit the regency last week, Bria said.
At least 56 people died, most on the island of Flores
northeast of Belu.
The flooding and mudslides damaged a lot of infrastructure,
cutting off a part of Flores' population from access to basic
commodities.
In Belu, the disaster hit 36 villages, killing three people
and affecting more than 55,000 others.
When the disaster hit, Bria said, people had just enough time
to secure some of their belongings as well as some food.
He estimated that locals had enough food for a couple of
weeks, but only limited access to clean water.
Belu resident Andreas Pereira said the West and East Malaka
districts had 451 wells, most of which needed immediate cleaning.
He admitted that the local administration had been providing
clean water by truck to villagers across the regency.
However, supplies have been insufficient, as one truck must
cover three villages, he said, adding that 33 other villages had
not been served so far.
Andreas urged the local government also to provide the people
with cement to build walls around the wells in anticipation of
more flooding.
He said the districts of East Malaka and West Malaka were
prone to annual floods, when water flows over the banks of the
Benanain River during heavy rainfall.