Strong Winds Cause Disasters in Indonesia

Tempo 13 Jan 09;

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Natural disasters caused by strong winds have been happening in some areas in Indonesia for the last few days. In Jakarta, some coastal areas have been inundated by high tide from the Bay of Jakarta.

Water level reached a height of one half to one meter in Penjaringan, North Jakarta. In Ancol, waters reached knee-high, flooding the main entrance of a popular tourist site. Similar floodings can be seen in Utama Beach, West Java.

Continuous rain over Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, from Sunday until yesterday made the Poso River overflow, flooding hundreds of homes in Bonesompe village. So far, there has been no reports of victims.

Still in Poso, tornado also struck many homes in Pandayora, South Pamona. A team led by Poso deputy regent Abdul Muthalib Rimi which monitored the situation on the site donated food supplies and cooking utensils for the victims.

West Sulawesi governor Anwar Adnan Saleh yesterday surveyed conditions on land and from the air following flooding and landslides in Majene and Polewali Mandar last Saturday. According to the governor, his department cannot yet estimate the financial losses caused by the disaster which has claimed 10 people. “We are still calculating the cost,” he said.

Certainly, Anwar said, the flood has damaged most of the infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, agricultural lands and plantations, as well as sources of clean water. In the area of Polewali Mandar, 3.859 homes were reportedly damaged.

In Bali, the Badung regency administration could not as yet list the losses caused by flooding in Kuta and Legian last Sunday. “We are giving priority to the victims first,” said Badung regent, Anak Agung Gde Agung.