Flash Flood Hits 2,281 Households in SE Sulawesi

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Some 2,281 households in 14 sub-districts of Kowane District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, bore the brunt of flash floods, triggered by torrential rains lashing the areas for around a week, a local disaster mitigation official stated.

Three disaster zones to reel from the maximum impact were located in the villages of Laloika, Wonua Monapa, Pondidaha Sub-district, and Waworaha, Lambuya Sub-district, Head of the Kowane Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Herianto Pagala noted.

"Until Saturday, Aleuti Village in Padangguni Sub-district and Lalomerui Village in Routa Sub-district, remain isolated," he informed ANTARA on being contacted from Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi Province, on Saturday.

The agency recorded that 857 residents had sought refuge in safer places, such as a village community hall, roadsides, relatives' houses, school buildings, and a rice mill, he confirmed.

Among the affected residents are 446 toddlers, 429 senior citizens, 60 expectant mothers, and a handicapped, Pagala stated.

The floodwaters not only submerged houses but also tens of hectares of farmlands of local residents in disaster zones as was observed in the villages of Sulemandara, Ambulaanu, Dawi-dawi, Langgonawe, Bendewutu, and Puusangi, he remarked.

On July 16, South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah and Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, on Thursday, observed several areas in North Luwu District acutely affected by flash floods and landslides following heavy rains early this week.

Over the past two weeks, flash floods affected several areas in Indonesia.

The sub-districts of Masamba, Sabbang, Baebunta, South Baebunta, Malangke, and West Malangket in Luwu Utara District, South Sulawesi Province; seven sub-districts in Lamandau District, Central Kalimantan Province; Pasir Village, Meulaboh, West Aceh District, Aceh Province; and Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan Province, were among the affected areas.

In Lamandau District, Central Kalimantan Province, flash floods left no less than 2,814 people, or 1,402 families, in 33 villages in seven sub-districts in a lurch.

Hendra Lesmana, the Lamandau District head, on July 13, claimed that this spate of flooding was the worst of its kind to have ever hit the district.

The local authorities have evacuated flood victims to safer places. The flooding also severed land transportation in the wake of several roads being swamped by floodwaters.

On Thursday (July 16), Minister Hadimuljono visited Masamba Sub-district in South Sulawesi to witness up-close the condition of road sections and bridges in the area, while Governor Abdullah boarded an Indonesian military helicopter to get a bird's eye view of the rivers' upstream area in the disaster zone.

As of July 16, the death toll from this natural disaster had reached 24, while 69 other residents reportedly went missing, according to the North Luwu Disaster Mitigation Office.

Local rescuers continued their efforts to locate those still missing on Thursday, while those from related agencies worked ceaselessly to reopen road sections crippled by landslides.

According to North Luwu District Head Indah Putri Indriani, heavy rainfall triggered landslides in over 20 areas around the slope of Mount Lero heading to Radda River.

The flash flood, triggered by torrential rains early this week that caused the overflowing of Masamba, Rongkang and Radda rivers, also led to the forced displacement of 655 people from 156 households, according to the North Luwu Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Read also: Flash Floods Hit North Luwu, Kill At Least 23 people

ANTARA