South Kalimantan river basin critical

South Kalimantan river basin critical

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Most of the river basin and
water catchment areas in South Kalimantan are in critical
condition and will seriously hinder flood prevention.

The head of the public works agency, Syarifuddin Baseri, said
Friday in Banjarmasin that the situation was caused by forestry
concession owners' inconsistent regreening efforts,
and people's mining and agricultural activities.

The Metereology and Geophysical Agency has predicted that
South Kalimantan is one of the provinces likely to be heavily
affected by the La Nia weather phenomenon, leading to higher
levels of rainfall than normal.

As quoted by Antara on Friday, Syarifuddin said river and
sewer cleaning were being undertaken to anticipate flooding.

He said the most vulnerable areas in the province would
probably be in the west and eastern parts of the Meratus
mountains, namely the Barito Kuala regency and the east coast of
the Kotabaru regency, apart form the north of Banua Lima.

This was where the river basin's condition was most critical,
he said. In all areas the forests were depleted, he said.