Indonesia: Flash floods displace 100,000 people in Bima

Panca Nugraha The Jakarta Post 24 Dec 16;

A series of flash floods that hit Bima municipality and Bima regency, both in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), earlier this week, have displaced over 100,000 local residents and have paralyzed economic activity in the region, local authorities have said.

NTB Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPPD) head Muhammad Rum said on Saturday the flash floods, which swept through the region on Wednesday and Friday following hours of heavy rainfall, had inundated 33 subdistricts, home to a total of 105,000 people.

“Today [Saturday], the floods have started to recede. Some people have left evacuation shelters to return to their homes,” Rum said.


The NTB provincial administration claimed that, as of Saturday, no deaths had been reported from the floods.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) also stated that the two affected regions would be given an emergency status for 14 days until Jan. 4, 2017.

The BNPB reported on Thursday that the flash floods were caused by Cyclone Yvette in the Indian Ocean, some 620 kilometers south of Denpasar, Bali.

NTB on alert after flash floods displace locals
Panca Nugraha The Jakarta Post 22 Dec 16;

NTB Governor Muhammad Zainul Majdi paid a visit to Bima municipality on Thursday afternoon, less than 24 hours after heavy rain triggered flash floods in many parts of the city and the neighboring Bima regency. The two regions share the same name.

“[Makeshift] public kitchens and medical centers are now being set up in every district office, as well as in Bima’s regional and municipal offices,” provincial administration spokesperson Yusron Hadi said on Thursday.

The floods began on Wednesday afternoon in many parts of Bima municipality and a few areas of Bima regency.

Hundreds of locals have reportedly evacuated as their houses have become inundated by floodwaters. The provincial administration claimed that, as of Thursday afternoon, no deaths had been reported from the floods.

Spokesperson for the National Search and Rescue Agency’s (Basarnas) NTB Office I Putu Cakra said to their knowledge five subdistricts in Bima municipality had become the worst-affected areas.

“We have evacuated many villagers from the roofs of their houses, as floodwaters have reached heights of between 1.5 and 2 meters,” he said. (hwa)


Thousands of Bima flood victims still in shelters with many falling ill
Panca Nugraha The Jakarta Post 25 Dec 16;

More than 6,000 residents of Bima municipality in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) remain in shelters with close to 1,000 having started to contract flood-related diseases following major flash floods that struck the city.

"[Currently,] there are 6,030 people staying in 19 emergency shelters," NTB Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) chief Muhammad Rum said on Sunday.

The 19 shelters have been set up in eight subdistricts: Jatiwangi, Lewirato, Monggonao, Paruga, Penaraga, Penatoi, Sadia and Tanjung.

Residents were using mosques, school buildings and shops as shelters as they could not yet return to their respective homes damaged by the flash floods, Rum said. While others had returned home to clean their houses from debris carried by the floods.

The floods took place in 33 subdistricts of five districts in Bima municipality where at least 105,000 families were affected.

Furthermore, Rum said 929 Bima residents were suffering from respiratory illnesses, skin rashes and diarrhea. Local administrations had set up, jointly with the local military command, several medical posts and a field hospital to help the affected residents.

"We have also distributed logistics aid to the shelters. There are currently seven public kitchens, which can serve up to 5,000 people per kitchen," he said, adding that aid from other regions had also arrived in Bima such as food supplies, clothes, medicine and assistance funds.

The NTB BPBD and local administrations had begun collecting data on the houses and public facilities damaged by the floods on Wednesday.


700 military personnel help clear garbage from flood-hit Bima
Antara 26 Dec 16;

Bima, W Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Some 700 military personnel have been dispatched to flood-hit Bima City in the eastern Indonesian province of Nusa Tenggara to help the local people remove the accumulating garbage.

"We have deployed hundreds of personnel. They are all from Sumbawa Island and the provincial capital, Mataram," Commander of Wira Bhakti Military District Command Infantry Colonel Farid Makruf said here on Monday.

He noted the local authorities hoped the city would be clean within a week. So far, they have made available 60 trucks to carry the garbage.

Flash floods hit the city on December 21 and 23, forcing 104,378 people to flee their homes.

Overall, the floods have uprooted 105,758 people in the citys five sub-districts, Chief of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Disaster Mitigation Board Mohmmad Rum stated over the weekend.

The floods, triggered by the overflowing of two local rivers following heavy rains, prompted the closure of offices and schools in the city.

According to officials, floodwaters injured one person and destroyed public facilities, including four public health service posts, 28 auxiliary public health service posts, and one office. However, no fatalities were reported from the floods.(*)


Social minister meets Bima flash flood evacuees
Antara 26 Dec 16;

Bima, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Social Service Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa visited hundreds of flash flood evacuees in Bima city, West Nusa Tenggara, on Monday.

During the meeting, the minister asked the evacuees to remain strong and patient.

"This is a test. If we pass it, we will advance to a higher class," she told the evacuees at Baitul Hamid Mosque in Bima city.

If anybody is strong and patient in facing the ordeal, Allah SWT will give them unexpected sustenance, she remarked.

"So, we must always be strong and patient," she said.

The evacuees, who are being sheltered at the mosque, still have access to water as well as public bathing, washing and toilet facilities (MCK), she stated.

Moreover, the two-week emergency response period will end on January 5 next year, she said.

"What we want to see is that the entire assistance is well distributed among the affected residents," she added.

Flash floods hit the city on December 21 and 23, forcing 104,378 people to flee their homes.

Overall, the floods have uprooted 105,758 people in the citys five sub-districts, Chief of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Disaster Mitigation Board Mohmmad Rum stated over the weekend.

The floods, triggered by the overflowing of two local rivers following heavy rains, prompted the closure of offices and schools in the city.

According to officials, floodwaters injured one person and destroyed public facilities, including four public health service posts, 28 auxiliary public health service posts, and one office. However, no fatalities were reported.(*)


VP calls for repairs of Bima within four days of flood
The Jakarta Post 28 Dec 16;

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has demanded related agencies to finish repairing sanitation facilities in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, within four days of the recent flood.

Immediate repairs are needed so that people can obtain clean water again for their daily needs, the vice president said when he led a meeting in Bima on Tuesday.

“The VP has ordered repairs of water wells and for the environment to be cleaned up,” said Social Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa on Wednesday as reported by Antara.

(Read also: Bima flood victims to get monthly allowance)

Jusuf chaired a meeting at Bima City Hall on Tuesday to discuss recovery efforts. The meeting was attended by head of National Disaster Management (BNPB) Willem Rampangilei, Bima Mayor Muhammad Quraish and city officials.

After inspecting the flood affected area, Kalla said that water in all wells should be pumped to clean out the waste and other pollutants carried by the flood. Khofifah added that all equipment to do the job should be purchased immediately.

“In short, efforts should be carried out to ensure that this will be finished by Jan 1,” she added.

The flood that swept Bima on Dec. 22 and 23 had also caused serious damages to the city's infrastructure and expelled 8,800 people from their homes in five districts of the city. (bbn)


Bima flooding emergency response applied until Jan. 5: Agency
Panca Nugraha The Jakarta Post 28 Dec 16;

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has said recovery activities following a massive flooding in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), have continued to be conducted by the government and other organizations, and an emergency response period will remain in effect until Jan. 5.

“Activities have returned to normal. The handling of refugees has continued to improve. About 99.5 percent of power blackouts in Bima have been resolved, and 11 out of 12 electrical relay stations cut off by the flooding have been repaired by state utility company PLN and can now function properly,” BNPB Public Relations and Information Data Center head Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Wednesday.

He said main roads across Bima had been cleared of floodwater and mud. Currently, 650 police and military personnel and volunteers from various organizations have continued to clean mud out of residences.

“To accelerate the removal of flood debris, 70 trucks and five excavators have been dispatched to carry garbage. A new trash disposal site has been opened.”

Sutopo explained the BNPB also provided cash for work assistance channeled through the NTB Disaster Mitigation Agency. He expressed that hopefully, flood victims can start to carry out economic activity to generate income; however, many people cannot immediately get back to work after the natural disaster.

“Cash for disaster relief work is very useful for disaster-affected local communities. This has been implemented through previous disaster mitigation activities, such as during eruptions of Mount Merapi in Central Java and Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, massive flooding in Manado, North Sulawesi, and an earthquake in Pidie Jaya, Aceh,” said Sutopo. (ebf)