Thousands of homes flooded in Jambi

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Floods in the Sumatra province of Jambi have inundated thousands of homes and destroyed vast areas of farmland in the past few days in what locals say is the worst flooding in 17 years.

Jambi Governor Zulkifli Nurdin says the calamity should be labeled a national disaster.

Unusually heavy rains at the end of the rainy season had caused Jambi's four rivers to swell and flood areas in three regencies and the provincial capital Jambi, Antara reported on Monday.

As of Monday, Jambi's main river, Batanghari, and its river branches, Ketalo, Batang Tembesi and Batang Tebo were continuing to rise.

Flooding is worse in the two regencies of Sarolangun and Batanghari.

In Sarolangun, six villages have been flooded. But many villagers remained in their houses, which are built on poles.

The situation is worse in the Sarolangun district of Mandiangin, where public activities have come to a complete halt for the past week. In that district some 800 houses, two elementary schools and a mosque have been flooded, forcing 47 families to seek refuge.

The flood is also affecting land transportation in the province, almost paralyzing vital roads in the central Sumatra province.

To help the flood victims, the Jambi provincial administration is distributing 10 tons of rice to the regency of Muaro Jambi and the city of Jambi. It allocated seven tons for Batanghari and five tons for Sarolangun, which is providing another four tons for its people.

Zulkifli instructed regents and mayors to list their regions' needs so that Jambi could ask Jakarta for help.

Locals said this year's flood was the worst since 1986 and in 1955.

In the neighboring province of Riau, last week's rainfall had also been unusually high, surprising local weather experts.

Across the country, including in Jakarta, rain continues to fall despite the rainy season drawing to close.