W. Java flood victims need more aid

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)