Thousands of houses flooded

KENDAL, Central Java: Floods triggered by three days of downpour hit a number of districts on the northern coast of Central Java, inundating more than 3,000 houses and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate.

Antara reported yesterday the worst hit was the Pekalongan municipality where floods submerged 2,618 houses in water up to 1.25 m deep, forcing 261 people to move to safer ground.

The agency quoted Pekalongan municipality spokesman, Suharto, saying the local authorities had given the flood victims rice, instant noodles and medicine to help ease their burdens.

The incessant rains also caused landslides in Kayupuring village, Pekalongan district, cutting off land communication between the subdistricts of Petungkriyono and Doro.

The Winong river in Sragi subdistrict, Pekalongan district, flooded 19 hectares of small sugar cane plantations, 30 hectares of rice fields and tens of houses, with water reaching up to 30 cm deep.

In Kendal district, floods inundated some 600 houses in four villages and a shopping complex with water reaching 60 cm and 30 cm deep, respectively.