Three killed, houses destroyed by floods

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java

Three people were killed and tens of thousands of homes were damaged after floods swept through a large part of Indramayu regency this week, officials have said.

Thousands of hectares of paddy fields, fish and shrimp ponds were also destroyed.

Head of Indramayu administration's social welfare office Didi Junaedi said that two residents were killed after being swept away by strong currents in Losarang district and another was bitten by a snake in Jatibarang district.

He said that the floods also inundated 232,378 hectares of fish and shrimp ponds and 26,759 hectares of paddy fields. The floods inundated a total of 185 villages, in 25 out of the 28 districts in Indramayu regency.

The worst-hit area was Kandanghaur district where floodwaters left 5,730 homes, 4,861 hectares of paddy fields and 481 fish ponds submerged. The 10 districts worst hit by floods were Kandanghaur, Losarang, Sukra, Indramayu, Bongas, Anjatan, Juntinyuat, Sindang, Lelea and Lohbener.

Didi said that material losses due to the floods could reach Rp 25 billion (US$3 million). "Material losses includes damage to houses and paddy fields," he said.

According to him, although the water is starting to recede, flood victims still needed food.

"Help in the form of rice and side dishes, like instant noodles and canned sardines, are needed to fulfill their daily intake, because the floods had prevented them from working," Didi said.

He said that seven districts, badly hit by floods, had received 410 tons of rice and 140 cartons of instant noodles from the Indramayu regental administration. The governor of West Java had also contributed Rp 100 million.

Besides that, the Indonesian Red Cross handed over 1,000 cartons of instant noodles, PT Sanghyang delivered 200 kilograms of rice and 30 cartons of noodles, Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation gave 400 tons of rice and the Lions Club of Cirebon donated 10 cartons of instant noodles.