R

iau province has been hit hard by floods over the last several weeks, claiming at least four lives and affecting thousands of people who have been evacuated to shelters.

Sixty-five villages in five regencies in the province remain inundated, according to data from the Riau Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPPD). Kampar regency was the worst hit, with 5,247 families affected, followed by Rokan Hulu and Pelalawan regencies with 1,664 families and 1,295 families affected, respectively,

“BPBD personnel together with personnel from the Indonesian Military [TNI] and police and volunteers are continuing to carry out integrated patrols to distribute aid to flood victims and to also evacuate them to shelters,” Riau BPBD chief Edward Sanger said on Monday, adding that aid collected from the government and the private sector included staple foods and medicine.

Flooding since mid-February has also claimed four lives. The first victim was 20-year-old Fernando, a resident of Ukui district, Pelalawan regency, who died in the overflowing Nilo River on Thursday. The second victim was 11-year-old Suguh, a resident of Kampar Kiri Hulu district in Kampar regency, in the Subayang River on Friday. The two other victims were father and son Usman Nasution, 55, and Krisjayanto Nasution, 21, who lived in the PT Seko Indah housing complex in Petalongan village, Pasir Penyu district, Indragiri Hulu regency.

Indragiri Hulu Police spokesman First. Insp. Yarmen Djambak said Usman and Krisjayanto died while collecting kitchen appliances from their house to take to a shelter in Pematang Jaya village on Saturday afternoon. The housing complex was reported to have been hit with 1-meter-high flooding over the past week, forcing all residents to evacuate.

Yarmen said the father and son returned to their home on a motorbike. However, they were unable to reach their home on account of inundation.

“They parked their motorbike at the security post and continued their journey on foot to the housing complex. However as of 9 p.m. they had not yet returned, creating concern for the security guards over their whereabouts,” he said.

The remains of the two were discovered on Sunday morning after members of the search and rescue team dove into the canal.

“They were both found stuck at the base of the canal at 10:30 a.m. We suspect the boat they used to get to their home flipped over and they were dragged by a strong current,” Yarmen said, adding that doctors at Pematang Reba Regional Hospital confirmed the two victims drowned to death.

Meanwhile, Riau Health Agency head Mimi Yuliani Nazir said the floods had also caused 267 people to fall ill.

She said all flood victims were offered free medication and treatment at shelters.