Jakarta, Feb 11, 2016 (Antara)- With the ongoing rainy season peaking, flooding and landslides have hit 166 districts and municipalities in several provinces, including West and North Sumatra; Riau, Jambi, Aceh, Bangka Belitung; West, East, and Central Java; and West Kalimantan.
Of the 166 regions, 103 were flooded, and 63 others were hit by landslides, spokesman of the Natural Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Nugroho Sutopo informed the press in Jakarta on Feb. 10, 2016, regarding the natural disasters that had occurred from January 1 to February 8, this year.
During the period, floods killed 14 people, injured four others, and forced 102,219 people to seek refuge.
Landslides left 29 dead, injured seven, and forced 395 people to flee their homes.
Landslides left 29 dead, injured seven, and forced 395 people to flee their homes.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had recently forecast that nearly 90 percent of Indonesia was expected to experience heavy rains and strong winds, which could continue until the second week of February.
In West Sumatra, landslides and floods triggered by incessant heavy rains affected the districts of Solok Selatan, Solok, Limapuluh Kota, Agam, Tanah Datar, Dharmasraya, Sijunjung and Pasaman, and the municipalities of Solok and Sawahlunto in early February.
Six people were killed, one went missing, and several thousand fled to safer areas due to the natural disaster in the province.
Several rivers, including Batang Bangko, Batang Suliti, and Batang Lolo, have overflown and cut off the Muaralabuh-Padang Aro Kerinci roads.
Floodwaters, reaching a height of up to 1.5 meters, inundated at least two thousand homes, while 100 hectares of rice fields were submerged in one-meter-deep waters.
In Riau Province, two people were killed, and some 133 thousand inhabitants of Kampar District sought refuge in emergency tents following the floods that submerged 56 villages since Feb. 9.
"They are being accommodated in tens of tents set up at seven disaster mitigation command posts," M. Nasri of the local disaster mitigation office stated in Pekanbaru on Feb. 10.
The Riau authorities have declared an alert status, while three districts - Kampar, Rokan Hulu and Kuantan Singingi have been declared in flood emergency response status.
In North Sumatra Province, floods submerged rice fields, covering a total area of 120 hectares in Karya Maju village, Tanjungpura Sub-district, Langkat District, on Feb. 8.
"Now, the floodwaters in the rice fields have begun to subside, but hopefully, the water level in Wampu River would not rise," Mariono of the Tanjungpura agriculture office stated.
In the meantime, incessant heavy rains over the past week had caused flooding and led to two rivers overflowing their banks in Binjai District, also in North Sumatra.
Several sub-districts in Binjai were inundated, Yusrizal, head of the Binjai disaster mitigation office, stated recently.
The Mencirim and Bingei rivers overflowed and flooded the city following downpours, he remarked.
The local authorities have deployed officers to help the flood victims.
In Jambi, flash floods inundated 377 houses and seriously damaged 20 others in two villages in Bungo District, Jambi Province, on Feb. 6.
"According to reports we have received, the seriously damaged houses are located in Batu Kerbau and Baru villages," Dalmanto of the Jambi disaster mitigation office revealed.
In Aceh Darussalam Province, floods triggered by days of heavy rains hit North Aceh district, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.
Floodwaters, with heights ranging between 30 cm and a meter, forced the residents of Matang Kuli and Langkahan sub-districts to evacuate, spokesman for the North Aceh district administration T. Nadirsyah noted on Feb. 8
"The floods began to affect the areas yesterday and have spread to other areas last night," he remarked.
"The floods began to affect the areas yesterday and have spread to other areas last night," he remarked.
Thousands of evacuees are being sheltered at several mosques.
In Bangka Belitung, activities at the business center in Pangkal Pinang came to a standstill following torrential rains in the last few days, leading to the area being inundated in three-meter-high floodwaters.
The floodwaters inundated the local offices and trading malls, according to a report by an Antara reporter on Feb. 9.
On Java Island, floods were reported to have hit Bojonegoro, Jember, Gresik and Sidoarjo in East Java Province, Pekalongan in Central Java, and Pandeglang in Banten, among others.
At least 47 villages in Bojonegoro District were flooded over the last four days and inflicted material losses worth Rp837 million, according to an official of the Bojonegaro disaster mitigation office (BPBD).
"The largest loss came from paddy plants that were destroyed after 1,371 hectares of rice fields were flooded," BPBD Bojonegoro Secretary Nadif Ulfia stated here on Feb. 11.
The floods were triggered by incessant heavy rains that caused the Bengawan Solo River to overflow and inundate 13 sub-districts, including Kalitidu, Trucuk, Dander, Malo, Kota, Balen, Kanor, and Baureno.
Some 175 hectares of second-crop farms were also flooded. A total of 479 families were affected by the natural disaster.
Floods have submerged 362 homes in Jember District, East Java Province, over the past three days due to incessant heavy rains.
Floods have submerged 362 homes in Jember District, East Java Province, over the past three days due to incessant heavy rains.
In Jember District, several residential areas in the sub-districts of Gumukmas, Puger, and Patrang were hit by floods, Head of the Jember BPBD Heru Widagdo stated recently.
Floodwaters reaching a height of up to a meter submerged the villages of Bagorejo and Kepanjen in Gumukmas and Mlokorejo villages in Puger.
In Pekalongan, floods inundated hundreds of homes in several villages in Tirto Sub-district since the past week.
Among the affected villages were Karangjompo, Tegaldowo, Mulyorejo, and Jeruksari, Head of the Pekalongan BPBD Bambang Sujatmiko stated on Feb. 10.
The villages are located in the coastal area and often get inundated by tidal and rain-triggered floods, according to Sujatmiko.
Some 400 houses were submerged in floodwaters reaching a height of up to 40 centimeters, Kuntari, an official of Tegaldowo village, remarked.
In Pandeglang, flash floods submerged around 500 homes in four villages of Cigondang, Kalanganyar, Teluk, and Labuan in Pandeglang District, Banten Province, with the water level reaching 2.5 meters.
Head of Pandeglang's Post-Disaster Management Division of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Board, Lilis, stated when contacted on Feb. 9 that the floods had inundated 500 houses, and the situation would continue since rains were still lashing the area as of Tuesday evening.
In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, floods inundated five sub-districts in Sambas District on Feb. 9.
"This year's flooding is even worse than last year. Until now, five sub-districts have been inundated due to high and incessant precipitation," Uray Santosa of the Sambas rescue office revealed.
The five affected sub-districts are Subah, Sajingan, Sajad, Sebawi, and Teluk Keramat.
The floods also swept away the Bayuan River Bridge, cutting off land transportation to Temajuk village, which shares its borders with Malaysia.
The bridge collapse affected the supply of food items in Temajuk village, which is inhabited by some 500 families, he noted.
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 11-02-2016 15:12:48
(T.F001/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 11-02-2016 15:12:48
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