Trans-Sumatra highway paralyzed

Trans-Sumatra highway paralyzed

PEKANBARU, Riau: Sections of the Eastern and Western Trans-
Sumatra Highway connecting Riau to other provinces in Sumatra
have been paralyzed since Friday, because of floods and
landslides.

A section of the road that connects Pekanbaru with West
Sumatra in the district of Koto Kampar in Kampar regency was
flooded, and landslides had obstructed several sections of the
road.

Idrus, a truck driver, said he went back to Pekanbaru on
Friday because several sections of the road leading to Padang,
the capital of West Sumatra, were submerged and hit by
landslides.

The road connecting the province with Jambi was also
paralyzed, because several sections of the road in Pelalawan
regency were underwater.

Pelalawan land transportation office chief Darwis Alkadam
confirmed it was impossible to go through the regency to Jambi
because of the flood caused by the overflowing Kampar River,
which had been rising since incessant rains began Monday. -- JP