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Floods kill five, inundate homes in Lampung and West Java
Flash floods that hit Hujung village in Belalau district, West Lampung, on Sunday are believed to have claimed the lives of five residents
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lash floods that hit Hujung village in Belalau district, West Lampung, on Sunday are believed to have claimed the lives of five residents.
Rescuers found the bodies of Daroji, 35, and his wife Yusmaniar, 28, on Sunday night, while another couple Matrasik, 45, and Asmani, 35, and their daughter Alyanesa, 7, remain missing as of Monday.
The floods, triggered by hours of heavy rains in the area, caused the Manak River to burst its banks.
The victims had at the time been sheltering in two huts on the riverbank.
“It all happened very quickly,” said neighbor Ismet.
“The two huts in which the two families were in were swept away by floods.
“We’re still combing the river and digging through piles of debris and mud to find the missing people, with the help of the local search and rescue team,” West Lampung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sugeng Suprianto said Monday.
“The entire mission is being hampered by the harsh terrain, swift river current and limited equipment.”
He added it was unclear whether the victims had been swept away by the water or buried in mud.
“We believe the victims are buried, but we’re also searching the river, just in case,” Sugeng said.
SAR team leader Vicky D. said it was almost likely the victims had been buried by mud, based on eyewitness testimony.
“According to the witnesses, the victims are probably buried in mud and felled trees, but we haven’t stopped looking for them,” he said.
“We are also scouring the river because they might also have been swept into the water.”
West Lampung Regent Mukhlis Basri blamed the extent of the damage from the floods on widespread deforestation and the badly silted condition of the river.
Over in West Java, meanwhile, heavy rains and clogged drains caused flooding in the provincial capital Bandung, particularly in the Soreang district, when the Ciwinyan River burst its banks.
Soreang residents were caught unawares when floodwaters swept through the area at around 6:30 p.m. local time.
The flood left the local land agency, animal husbandry agency, agriculture and forestry office and health office in water a meter high.
Bandung Agriculture and Forestry Agency official Ade Gartiwa said all the computers and other equipment in the office had been damaged.
Soreang resident Wawan Maryana said the flooding in the neighborhood was the first ever of
its kind.
“It’s weird; Soreang is situated on high ground and we’ve never had floods here,” he said.
“This current flood indicates that the drainage system is poor. The Bandung regency administration has never planned out Soreang’s development, including its drainage.”
