Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Malang, Kupang – Flash floods swept through the East Java cities of Malang, Kediri and Jombang on Wednesday, leaving one person dead and destroying dozens of residences as well as public buildings.
A downpour beginning Tuesday evening caused Konto Pait river to overflow, toppling a tree that fell on a passing bus on the Malang-Jombang main road at about 7:30 p.m., local residents said. One passenger was killed and three others injured, they said.
The accident caused a halt in traffic for six and a half hours, with a backup of vehicles stretching two kilometers, before the road was cleared at 12:30 a.m.
As the downpour continued through Wednesday morning, four bridges connecting the villages of Mlancu, Mendowo and Baharan in Kediri as well as Jabon Garut and Selatri in Malang were destroyed. Villagers were forced to find more time-consuming alternative routes after the severance of their usual land links.
Floodwaters from Anjasmoro mountain uprooted trees and swept along boulders two meters in diameter.
The torrent flattened a mosque at Galeng Dowo village in Wonosalam district in Jombang, a church as well as an elementary school at Mlancu village in Kandangan district, Kediri.
"Nothing could be saved. All our religious property and a motorcycle were swept away by the water," said Elly Krisnayati, a reverend of the church.
Locals, holed up in their homes since Tuesday evening due to the rain, fled to a nearby hill upon hearing the thunderous sound of the floodwaters.
Sumarsih, whose house was in the flood path, fled with all the members of her family. "We don't know the condition of my house. The most important thing for me is to save our lives," she said.
Meanwhile in Timor Tengah Selatan regency, East Nusa Tenggara, 12 villages were inundated on Tuesday evening, with floodwaters reaching up to one meter. The villages were identified as Snok, Fatuoni, Falas, Pil, Linamnutu, Oebelo, Bena, Koanoel, Fatumnasi, Nenas, Kotolin and Nunkolo.
Dozens of houses were destroyed and many cattle, goats, pigs and poultry drowned. Kohe Puai, 24, from Kupang regency was reported missing.
An eyewitness said Kohe was working near a river when the waters surged. "Suddenly, the huge flow of water swept him away," said Fransiska Polen, chief of social welfare at the East Nusa Tenggara social service agency.
Fransiska said at least 11 out of 15 regencies and cities in East Nusa Tenggara had been inundated over the last week. "Heavy rainfall and strong winds destroyed 14 houses, five schools and a police dormitory in Flores Timur regency, while in Manggarai six houses were flattened by landslides," she said.
Other flood-hit regencies are Belu, Timor Tengah Utara, Timor Tengah Selatan, Kupang, Ruteng, Manggarai Barat, Alor, Sumba Barat, Flores Timur, Sikka and Ngada.