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Sulawesi engulfed by floods, thousands evacuated
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned of the potential for heavy rainfall in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua between June 11 and 15.
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People are evacuated from the Bung Permai residential complex in Makassar, South Sulawesi, during heavy flooding on Wednesday. Floodwaters from the overflowing Tello River reached depths of up to 1 meter. (Antara/Sahrul Manda Tikupadang)
Floods in three provinces in Sulawesi have forced thousands of people to flee their houses for higher ground.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) revealed that 4,198 people in North Konawe regency in Southeast Sulawesi had been evacuated to safer areas.
"Asera district is the worst effected, with 13 of its villages inundated. Seventy two houses have been washed away, while thousands of other houses are inundated and hundreds of hectares of rice fields, corn fields and fish ponds have been damaged," Sutopo said in a press release made available to The Jakarta Post Monday.
Besides areas in Southeast Sulawesi, he said the floods that began at the beginning of June following torrential downpours had also left villages in South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi under water.
The local disaster mitigation agency (BPBD) has documented damages to public facilities such as bridges, roads, houses of prayer and health facilities.
In neighboring Konawe regency, a 4-month old baby died during the flood, although the BPBD is still investigating whether the death was caused by the flood.
Meanwhile, the BNPB also said 1,452 families had been affected by the floods and 200 houses had been inundated in South Sulawesi, with 3,676 hectares of rice fields destroyed in 15 villages.
In Central Sulawesi, 561 families in Lele and Dampala villages were evacuated after floods damaged a bridge and inundated 45 houses.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned of the potential for heavy rainfall in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua between June 11 and 15. (gis/jun)
