Indonesia: Thousands surrounded by floods across Java

Arya Dipa and Ganug Nugroho Adi The Jakarta Post 7 Mar 19;

More than 22,000 families in 10 districts of Bandung, West Java, have been affected by water from the Citarum River that flooded the area on Thursday, killing one.

The Bandung Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD Bandung) said rain that had started on Wednesday afternoon had caused floods of almost 3 meters in some areas. Baleendah district was the worst hit, with more than 5,000 families affected. The other districts that were also severely paralyzed by the floods are Dayeuhkolot and Bojongsoang. All three districts are located alongside the Citarum River.

The head of the BPBD Bandung’s emergency and logistics division, Sudrajat, said only 226 people from Baleendah had decided to abandon their homes, while most had opted to endure the high water. In Dayeuhkolot, 138 were rescued, including children, pregnant women and the elderly.

“There are 3,005 families affected in Dayeuhkolot,” said Sudrajat.

West Java Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Joshua Banjarnahor identified the casualty as Riky, 21, a resident of Baleendah, who was electrocuted inside his flooded home in the inundated district. He was accompanied by a younger sibling at the time of the incident, while their parents were out of town.

Joshua said the team was very cautious in conducting the rescue mission, since most residents had yet to turn off electricity. “We found the victim at 9 a.m. this morning,” he said.

The floods also cut road access from Dayeuhkolot to the nearby districts of Banjaran and Ciparay, making it hard for people to leave the flooded areas. “On the main street that connects Dayeuhkolot with Ciparay and Banjaran, water is as high as an adult’s thigh. Vehicles can’t pass the area,” said Joshua.

Last month, downpour in the regency caused the dam holding the Cinambo River in Pasar Jati to burst, resulting in flooding that claimed three lives.

In Central Java, a number of regions have been flooded following persistent heavy rainfall since Wednesday. Klaten regency is one of the most heavily impacted regions, with the Dengkeng River overflowing and flooding the surrounding regency.

Doddy Hermanu, acting head of the Klaten Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD Klaten), said residents were forced to leave their homes after floodwater engulfed hundreds of homes and some schools, with water levels reaching as high as 1 meter. “We are staying alert, because the sky is still overcast,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Doddy said the BPBD Klaten was trying to prevent further flooding. “We have put thousands of sand bags on the river embankment in a bid to hold back the floods,” he said.

In Wonogiri regency, hundreds of houses are also flooded, forcing hundreds of families to evacuate. The floods have also cut the road connection between the regencies of Wonogiri and Pacitan, where the water reached a level of up to 50 centimeters. “We have shut down the electricity in the impacted areas,” Bambang Hariyanto, head of the Wonogiri Disaster Mitigation Agency, told the Post.

In East Java, at least 15 regencies were flooded, according to the provincial disaster mitigation agency. The impacted regencies are Madiun, Nganjuk, Ngawi, Magetan, Sidoarjo, Kediri, Bojonegoro, Tuban, Probolinggo, Gresik, Pacitan, Trenggalek, Ponorogo, Lampongan and Blitar.

“We are still in coordination with the regional administration for evacuation and aid distribution,” said Suban Wahyudiono, the head of the agency.

According to the agency, Madiun is the most impacted regency, because the Jeroan River has overflowed and flooded wide stretches of the surrounding areas.

The floods in Madiun have also cut roads access between Ngawi and Kertosono, with water levels reaching as high as 1 meter. (das)

Madiun declares emergency status due to flooding
Antara 7 Mar 19;

Madiun, East Java (ANTARA News) - Madiun District Head Ahmad Dawami has declared an emergency status for the period from March 6 to March 19, 2019, following flooding since Tuesday evening (Mar 5).

The letter declaring the emergency status was signed by the Madiun district head on Wednesday (Mar 6).

"Everyone concentrates on flood victims. The district administration has established disaster command posts in every flood-affected sub-district. Community health centers are also on standby," Dawami stated here, Thursday.

A total of 35 villages in eight sub-districts in Madiun had been flooded, as Bengawan Solo River`s tributaries spilled over their banks since Tuesday (Mar 5).

The affected sub-districts were Saradan, Pilangkenceng, Balerejo, Wungu, Sawahan, Mejayan, and Wonoasri

The floodwaters have subsided significantly on Thursday morning.

Reporting by Louis RS, fardah
Editor: Fardah Assegaf


Floods hit 13 districts in East Java
Antara 7 Mar 19;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Floods have hit 13 districts in East Java Province since Wednesday, March 6, 2019, following incessant heavy rains that triggered several rivers to spill over their banks.

"Based on reports from the disaster response command posts and the East Java Disaster Mitigation office, 13 districts have been flooded," Harry Hikmat, director general of Social Insurance and Protection of the Social Affairs Ministry, remarked while being contacted by Antara on Thursday.

The 13 flood-affected districts are Madiun, Nganjuk, Ngawi, Magetan, Sidoarjo, Kediri, Bojonegoro, Tuban, Gresik, Pacitan, Trenggalek, Ponorogo, and Lamongan.

Another district, Probolinggo, was hit by whirlwind and heavy rains that damaged roofs of 45 homes in Tambak Rejo Village.

In Madiun, 39 villages in eight sub-districts were inundated, as the Jeroan River overflowed.

Flooding affected 4,317 households, comprising over 17 thousand people; seriously damaged two homes, three dykes, and two bridges; submerged 253 hectares of rice fields; and swept away tens of cattle, goats, and poultry.

In Nganjuk, floods, triggered by the overflowing of Kuncir River, submerged residential areas in 15 villages located in six sub-districts.

In Ngawi, floodwaters, reaching a height of up to a meter, submerged 4,490 homes in 18 villages located in six sub-districts.

A total of 14 villages in five sub-districts in Trenggalek District also got flooded, as the Ngasinan River spilled over its bank.

Meanwhile, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa boarded a rubber boat to visit Balerejo Sub-district in Madiun on Thursday to review the handling of flooding there.

Madiun District Head Ahmad Dawami has declared an emergency status for the period from March 6 to March 19, 2019, following flooding since Tuesday evening (Mar 5).

The letter, declaring the emergency status, was signed by the Madiun district head on Wednesday (Mar 6).

"Everyone concentrates on flood victims. The district administration has established disaster command posts in every flood-affected sub-district. Community health centers are also on standby," Dawami stated here, Thursday.

The floodwaters have subsided significantly on Thursday morning.

Reporting by Desi Purnamawati, fardah
Editor: Fardah Assegaf


Floods hit 11 sub-districts in Bandung, claims one life
Antara 7 Mar 19;

Bandung, W Java (ANTARA News)- Floods have inundated 11 sub-districts, displaced some 1.8 thousand people, and claimed one life in Bandung District, West Java Province, according to the Bandung disaster mitigation office (BPBD).

Baleendah, Dayeuhkolot, and Andir were among the worst flood-affected sub-districts, Achmad Djohara, acting head of the Bandung BPBD, said here on Thursday.

The eight other sub-districts affected by flooding were Cileunyi, Rancaekek, Majalaya, Cicalengka, Cikancung, Ciparay, Katapang, and Kutawaringin.

A 21-year-old resident of Cigosol kampong, Andir village, Baleendah Sub-district, was killed after he was electrocuted after his home was flooded.

Incessant heavy rains caused Citarum River to spill over its bank and triggered flood waters to reach a height of between 35 centimeters and 1.5 meters.

"We keep monitoring the flooding, and we have deployed personnel to help move flood victims to safer places and distribute relief aid. We also coordinate with relevant parties," he added.

Public facilities, such as school buildings, markets, local government officers, and community health centers, were also submerged by floods.

Meanwhile, floods have hit 13 districts in East Java Province since Wednesday, March 6, 2019, following incessant heavy rains that triggered several rivers to spill over their banks.

"Based on reports from the disaster response command posts and the East Java Disaster Mitigation office, 13 districts have been flooded," Harry Hikmat, director general of Social Insurance and Protection of the Social Affairs Ministry, remarked while being contacted by Antara on Thursday.

The 13 flood-affected districts are Madiun, Nganjuk, Ngawi, Magetan, Sidoarjo, Kediri, Bojonegoro, Tuban, Gresik, Pacitan, Trenggalek, Ponorogo, and Lamongan.

Another district, Probolinggo, was hit by whirlwind and heavy rains that damaged roofs of 45 homes in Tambak Rejo Village.

In Madiun, 39 villages in eight sub-districts were inundated, as the Jeroan River overflowed.

Reporting by Ajat Sudrayat , fardah
Editor: Fardah Assegaf


Over 22 thousand households affected by flooding in Bandung
Antara 8 Mar 19;

Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - As many as 22,105 households have been affected by flooding triggered by the overflowing of Citarum River in Bandung District, West Java Province.

Of the total households, 5,271 were located in Baleendah Sub-district, 3,005 in Dayeuhkolot, and 2,370 in Bojongsoang, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said in a statement here on Friday.

Flooding also affected 3,383 households in Rancaekek Sub-district, 3,373 in Cileunyi, 1,929 in Majalaya, 2,414 in Banjaran, 85 in Cicalengka, 25 in Kutawaringin, and 250 in Ibun.

Floods frequently hit several sub-districts in Bandung District, particularly in Baleendah and Majalaya which could be flooded 10 times in a year.

Incessant heavy rains since Wednesday (March 6) have caused Citarum River to spill over its bank and inundated 10 sub-districts, notably Dayeuhkolot, Baleendah, Bojongsoang, Rancaekek, Cileunyi, Majalaya, Banjaran, Cicalengka, Kutawaringin, and Ibun.

Flood waters reached a height of between 40 centimeters and 2.8 meters in those sub-districts.

Despite the widespread flooding, only 283 people or 90 households were displaced and taking refuge in higher grounds.

The local authorities with the support of military and police personnel have distributed relief aid and helped the evacuation process of flood victims.

"The local residents have prepared boats and they know where they should take refuge. There have been hardly casualties despite frequent floods in Bandung," he said.

Public facilities, such as school buildings, markets, local government offices, and community health centers, were also submerged by floods.

Meanwhile, floods have hit 13 districts in East Java Province since Wednesday, March 6, 2019, following incessant heavy rains that triggered several rivers to spill over their banks.

"Based on reports from the disaster response command posts and the East Java Disaster Mitigation office, 13 districts have been flooded," Harry Hikmat, director general of Social Insurance and Protection of the Social Affairs Ministry, remarked while being contacted by Antara on Thursday.

The 13 flood-affected districts in East Java were Madiun, Nganjuk, Ngawi, Magetan, Sidoarjo, Kediri, Bojonegoro, Tuban, Gresik, Pacitan, Trenggalek, Ponorogo, and Lamongan.

Reporting by Ajat Sudrajat, Fardah Assegaf


Two dead, hundreds evacuated amid severe Indonesia floods
Channel NewsAsia 8 Mar 19

BANDUNG, Indonesia: At least two people were killed and six more were missing after torrential rains and severe flooding in parts of Indonesia, the disaster agency said Friday (Mar 8), forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people.

Heavy rain has pounded Indonesia for days, forcing the Citarum river - dubbed "the world's dirtiest" - on Java island to burst its banks, and causing deadly flash floods in the eastern part of the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago.

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Residents in a dozen communities on the outskirts of Bandung city, east of the capital Jakarta, were forced to wade through streets filled with chest-high water in places.

Images from the scene showed residents being moved to safety on pontoon boats and small wooden vessels.

Floods and landslides killed a pair of residents in East Nusa Tenggara province on the island of Flores, the agency said.


Six others are still missing and three people were injured, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Flooding is common during Indonesia's rainy season, which runs roughly from October to April.

In January, at least 70 people were killed when floods and landslides hit South Sulawesi province.

The latest floods have affected over 30,000 people in parts of West Java and East Java provinces, the disaster agency said.

The Citarum - a nearly 300km water body that is a key source for hydroelectric power for Indonesia's most populous island Java and tourism hotspot Bali - regularly bursts its banks during torrential rains.

The World Bank declared it the most polluted river in the world a decade ago, a description widely picked up by media and environmentalists.

Faced with a public health emergency after decades of failed clean-up efforts, Jakarta last year stepped in with a bold plan to make the Citarum's toxic waters drinkable by 2025.

The river has long been a floating carpet of household rubbish, animal faeces and toxic chemicals dumped by nearby factories.

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