Flood Inundates Papuan District After Days of Rain, No Casualties Reported

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Disaster Management Agency, or BNPB, reported that prolonged rain caused flooding in Dekai District, Yakuhimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan. Head of the Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, said two bridges and two places of worship were damaged. A police station and a health facility were also affected. 

"Rice fields and plantations also suffered losses, although the exact number is still being calculated,” said Muhari in a written statement, Monday, August 5, 2024.

According to him, the rain had been falling since 01:00 a.m. WIT (Eastern Indonesia Time) on Friday morning, August 2, 2024, and had not stopped for several days. The flood reached a height of 50-100 centimeters.

The Yahukimo Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) confirmed no casualties in this flood, and no residents left the area to take shelter. Muhari said the local government and BPBD were still monitoring the situation and restoring conditions in the affected areas.

"The flood is gradually receding. The residents of Dekai District are working together to clean up post-flood material," he said. 

The Yahukimo government and residents are urged to repair drainage channels to anticipate the impact of any subsequent rainfall.  Since August 2, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued a warning of potential heavy rain in the Papua Pegunungan Province.

IRSYAN HASYIM

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