Bandung floods kill one, displace thousands

Yuli Tri Suwarni, ,  The Jakarta Post, ,  Bandung   |  Sat, 12/06/2008 11:45 AM  |  The Archipelago

Floods that have been raining down on Bandung regency since Wednesday have claimed one life and engulfed thousands of houses. The Citarum River has burst its banks, forcing people to seek shelter on higher ground. The three worse-hit districts are Dayeuhkolot, Baleendah and Rancaekek.

In Dayeuhkolot, more than 3,800 houses have been inundated, affecting 22,800 people. In Baleendah, the floods have damaged 3,278 houses and affected 19,775 people. In Rancaekek 4,268 homes have been submerged, affecting more than 20,000 people.

Swift currents in Haurpugur and Rancaekek claimed the life of local resident Jamal, 22. Jamal, who could not swim, lost his grip on his three friends, who were about to cross flood water in Haurpugur.

Water levels in Haurpugur reached 160 centimeters and have eroded a 150-meter section of railway sleepers, cutting railway traffic from the east, forcing three trains from Surakarta and Surabaya to stop.

Hundreds of passengers were transferred to buses provided by state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia to make the remainder of the journey to Bandung city.

A Baleendah resident, Kisman Oemaran, said the current floods were the worst since 1981.

Flood levels ranging between 20 centimeters and two meters have paralyzed the economic activity. A number of gas stations, markets and shops have been inundated, as well as dozens of factories.

"Originally, only Cieunteung and Baleendah were prone to flooding, but now they affect a larger area. The current flood is phenomenal," Kisman said on Friday.

He added that it took him five hours to get to work at Gedung Sate this weeks, compared to one under normal conditions.

Traffic along the Dayeuhkolot-Mohamad Toha highway has also been cut since Wednesday, as flood levels reached up to 50 centimeters high, leaving hundreds of trucks supplying factories in the area stranded.

Rancaekek district chief Dadang Setiawan said he did not expect floods to inundate homes in areas east of Bandung, as they never have before.

He said floods usually only affected eight villages, but as of Thursday night a total of 10 are underwater, including four on tributaries of the Citarum River -- Citarik, Cimande, Cikijing and Cikeruh.

However, flood waters began to subside on Friday. Around 50 railway workers were able to repair the railway line at noon and train services returned to normal at 1 p.m.

In response to the worsening and repeated floods in southern and eastern parts of Bandung, West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan said the government had no other choice but to restore the upper reaches of the Citarum river, which have been severely damaged by deforestation.

"The government must buy the Gunung Wayang (upper course areas of Citarum). Experts would approve that. It should buy the entire area so we can reforest it," Heryawan said.

The provincial administration will set aside Rp 80 billion (approximately US$7.2 million) from the 2009 budget to dredge the Citarum river, which was last dredged in 2006, as a short term solution.

The heavily silted Citarum river has caused damage to the forest in its upper reaches. Heryawan deemed dredging and building flood embankments futile in curbing the recurrent floods, saying he considered it a short term measure only.

He said he would immediately discuss with the central government the procurement of Gunung Wayang.

"The state should have the funds and initiative. I will meet the government and experts to begin discussions," Heryawan said.

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