Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Torrential rain has been pounding several locations in Indonesia, leading to an increasing number of areas hit by floods and landslides throughout the country over the past few days.
A major landslide in Majenang, a border area of West and Central Java, occurred on Thursday. A 200-meter-long landslide cut off the road, causing gridlock and traffic detours. Road clearing is still ongoing involving local residents and heavy equipment.
Another landslide occurred in Cicalengka, Tanjungwangi, West Java, on Thursday. Soil from the landslide cut off road access to five villages: Dampit, Tanjungwangi, Gampit, Tanjalaya and Sindulang. According to head civilian security guard (Trantib) Endang Suganda, the landslide had paralyzed commerce in the area. A similar disaster also occurred in Kotamobagu, North Sulawesi. The main road connecting Manado and Kotamobagu was blocked for approximately six hours on Friday.
Hundreds of residents in Pemenang and West Pemenang districts in North Lombok have also fallen victim to flooding. According to the head of the Disaster Management Agency in North Lombok, Iwan Maret Asmara, his agency has set up tents in a nearby hamlet as shelters for residents whose houses are swamped by floodwater or hit by landslide.
Three villages in North and South Timor Tengah regencies in East Nusa Tenggara- Fafoe, Umatoos and Lasaen - have been submerged since Wednesday night. Cornfields and wells in the area are covered with mud after the Benenai River burst its banks.
Almost 300 houses in Makassar are also inundated due to heavy rain pounding the area since Tuesday, damaging the banks of the Je'ne Mandinging River. Some residents of Antang have been evacuated to mosques. The flood is also likely to lead to crop failure in several areas in South Sulawesi.
Meanwhile, floodwater one meter deep has submerged Medan Maimun district, North Sumatra. Torrential rain has caused the Deli River to overflow and inundate the area early Friday. Kampung Baru subdistrict head Ucok said that the flood happened so suddenly that most of the residents had no time to save their belongings. (tgh)