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Inmates escape after flood damages Jambi penitentiary wall
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The damaged wall of Jambi penitentiary after heavy downpour struck the city on Tuesday night. (Courtesy of/Tribun Jambi)
T
he heavy downpour that struck Jambi overnight on Tuesday has led to flash floods that damaged a wall at Jambi penitentiary, allowing at least 51 inmates to escape.
Jambi Police chief Brig. Gen. Priyo Widyanto said police and military personnel had been deployed to retrieve the escaped convicts.
“So far, we have arrested 19 of them,” he said on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the head of Jambi's Law and Human Rights office, Bambang Palasara, added: “I appeal to the 34 [remaining] inmates to surrender, we will treat them well if they surrender.”
Read also: 60 inmates transferred after prison riot
Floodwaters had reportedly inundated prison cells, reaching chest-height, according to kompas.com.
Following the incident, 59 female inmates were temporarily evacuated to the Jambi Immigration Office while some other prisoners were moved to Muarabulian Prison and Muarasabak Prison.
Jambi Governor Zumi Zola said he had asked the police and Indonesian Military (TNI) to secure the correctional facility and build a temporary wall.
"It costs about Rp 200 million [US$15,000] to rebuild a permanent wall,” he said.
In March, Jambi penitentiary prisoners ran amok when officials from the province’s narcotics agency arrived at the facility to conduct a raid against rampant drug deals from behind bars. The inmates set fire to several cells in protest over the raid. (ecn/bbs)
