Hundreds of hectares rice field in South Sumatra flooded
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 03/21/2009 3:42 PM
A flood, caused by the body of a collapsed bridge blocking a river in Pesamaran district, Ogan Komering Ilir regency, has inundated hundreds of hectares of rice fields at Sukapulih village, Antara has reported.
"Our rice fields have been under floodwaters for the past few days. Many of our paddy plants have been spoiled and our loss is quite big," Karto, a local farmer, said Saturday.
Over 750 hectares of rice fields were affected by the flood, according to Suparmin, head of a local farmers' association.
It was estimated rice plants on only around 60 hectares of the flood-affected rice fields could still be harvested while those the remaining were a complete loss, he said.
"We are really sad because it has happened twice. We hope the local authorities will move quickly to help us, farmers," he said.
Separately, Muklis, head of land and water management division at the agriculture agency, denied that hundreds of hectares of rice fields had been affected by the flood.
“Only 40 hectares were inundated,” he said. (dre)
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