Some 34,000 homeless after fierce floods

KENDARI, Northeast Sulawesi: Over 34,000 people have been left homeless following floods which hit 145 villages here and two neighboring regencies.

The head of the Social Agency, A. Aziz, said that the number of displaced people would continue to rise because there had been no more reports from other deluged areas, including Muna and Kolaka regencies.

Rescue workers have so far recovered one body in the natural disaster.

"It's difficult for us to collect data as the floods paralyzed transportation and communication facilities," Aziz told the local legislature in a hearing with the North Sulawesi Council.

He said food supplies were badly needed as so far his office could only provide 14.5 tons of rice and 50 packages of instant noodles, Antara reported.

The Health Agency has provided medical staff and supplies of medicines, enough for ten months. But the residents need more water purifier machines because water sources has become contaminated.

Material losses resulting from the disaster were estimated to have reached Rp 37 billion. (09)