Flood Inundates Several Regions in South Sulawesi

TEMPO.CO, Makassar - Heavy rains that hit South Sulawesi have caused flood in Gowa, Jeneponto, Maros, Pangkep, Baru, and Makassar City. The road in Maros District, Jalan Trans Sulawesi, was also blocked due to adult waist-high flood. Thousands of people were evacuated.

Gowa Regent Adnan Purichta Ichsan said that nine sub-districts were inundated by floods that prompted the government established evacuation sites. “Currently, we still continue to evacuate people,” said Adnan Wednesday, January 23.

The local government coordinated with the police, local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), and the Indonesian Military (TNI) for the evacuation process.

South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah said that his administration synergized with Pompengan River Center to guard the dam. “Alhamdulillah, the water keeps receding, we have monitored it since last night,” he added.

Pompengan Jeneberang River Center head Teuku Iskandar said that waters level in Bili-Bili continued to recede, yet it had not yet reached a normal level.

Heavy rains that hit the province since Monday, January 21, forced the Bili-Bili dam to be opened and caused lower regions to be inundated by waters from Jeneberang River.

Due to the flood, eight were found dead in Pangkep District, Wednesday morning, January 23, according to state disaster mitigation agency BNPB's temporary data.

DIDIT HARIYADI (CONTRIBUTOR)