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.