Some 34,000 homeless after fierce floods

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)