Thousands of homes flooded in Jambi

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.