Trees uprooted after heavy rains

BOGOR: Trees were uprooted, two houses collapsed and an Army building damaged when heavy rains and strong winds hit Bogor on Thursday.

Bogor Mayor Iswara Natanegara said 31 shelter trees along lining Jl. Semeru, Sindang Barang, Jl. Jalak Harupat, Sempur, Jl. Cimanggu and Jl. Paledang had been blown over.

Iswara said Friday that the city administration would work together with the Bogor Agricultural Institute to assess the loss.

Bogor Sanitary and Park Agency head Lilies S said only one of the collapsed trees was old.

Lilies explained that during January the agency had chopped down 22 trees throughout the city.

"Besides cutting down the trees, we also planted 220 new trees, each about two-metres tall, between the old trees."

The total number of shelter trees in Bogor is 9,200, of which 700 are in a frail condition. This year, the agency will plant 1,200 new more hardy Tanjung trees, some of which could reach 60- years-old. -- JP