Recurring floods in Central Java keep residents sleepless

Suherdjoko ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 01/18/2009 3:20 PM  |  National

PLAYING IN THE FLOOD: Children are crossing a flooded road near their village in Demak regency, Central Java, on Sunday. JP/Suherdjoko

Around 300 houses in Sidorejo and Rejosari, Demak, were flooded after the Cabean river dam collapsed Saturday evening.

"We didn't expect these floods to keep hitting our village," Kosim, a resident, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"We can't sleep soundly any more. Even though we're tired we have to remain alert. The floods can inundate our houses anytime and we'd have to move."

Residents of the two villages have been forced to evacuate to parts of the river levy that were not damaged.

"I've asked residents to relocate to safer grounds in a nearby village, Rimbun Lor, but they refused. I can't do anything about it," Rejosari village chief Mahmud Mugiono said.

Kosim said most of the houses were flooded with water of up to one meter high and that the foundations of at least five houses had been nearly washed away.

"We've had to secure our home appliances by placing them in makeshift storages that are raised 1.5 meters off the ground," he said, adding that villages had been inundated since last Monday.

Meanwhile, three earthmoving vehicles have been operating around the clock to fix the damaged dam near Rejosari village. (amr)

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