W. Java flood victims need more aid

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of residents in flood-hit areas in South Bandung regency, West Java, need more food and medical supplies to ease the suffering they have experienced over the past two weeks, Antara reported yesterday.

Supplies are particularly needed in the villages of Cipanileuman, Babakansayang and Tegalluar in Cileunyi and Bojongsoang subdistricts.

Danasasmita, the Tegalluar village head, said his village was the worst hit and needed more supplies in case the flood waters did not drain away.

Floods along the course of the Citarum river have inundated thousands of homes, mosques and public facilities over the past two weeks, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate the area.

In all the flooded areas, large areas of paddy field have reportedly been destroyed.

Yuni, an officials at an emergency command post in Tegalluar, said that medical supplies had been provided to local health clinics. However, the supplies were very limited, she said, but did not elaborate.

Outbreaks of diarrhea and water-borne skin disease have been reported in some of the affected villages.

Meanwhile, Antara reported that the body of Djadjang, 14, a resident of Baleendah village in the regency, was found floating near his house on Tuesday morning.

Local police were still trying to determine the cause of death, but neighbors suspected that the boy, who they said could not swim, drowned in the two-meter deep floods.

A meteorologist from the Bandung Institute of Technology, Zadrach L. Dupe, said yesterday that rainfall in Bandung had been above the average for this month, adding that the floods were not unexpected.

He said 30 millimeters of rain had fallen over the past ten days. Normally only be 20 millimeters of rain would be expected in March, he added.

Zadrach, predicted that rainfall would return to normal next month.

He also said that the low-lying topography to the South of Bandung made the area prone to flooding.

All of the flood-hit villages lie along the course of the Citarum River, which has three major tributaries -- the Citarik, Cidurian and Cipamokolan rivers.

The main tributaries of the Citarum flow from the northern side of Bandung into the area.

In East Java, the Bengawan Solo river burst its banks and flooded thousands of houses and large areas of paddy fields in Balen and Baureno subdistricts in Bojonegoro.

Floods along the course of the river have also inundated several kilometers of road between Babat and Langitan, disrupting traffic in the area. (43/byg)