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S. Kalimantan declares state of emergency as flooding displaces more than 20,000
Heavy rainfall has drenched the province since Jan. 3, causing rivers in the regencies of Tanah Laut and Balangan to overflow.
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Villagers walk through an inundated residential area in Banjar regency, South Kalmantan, on Jan. 15. South Kalimantan governor Sahbirin Noor has declared a state of emergency because of major flooding throughout the province. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S.)
T
he South Kalimantan administration has declared a state of emergency as flooding in multiple regencies has forced more than 20,000 people to flee their homes.
Heavy rainfall has drenched the province since Jan. 3, causing rivers in the regencies of Tanah Laut and Balangan to overflow. These areas were the most affected by flooding.
A river in Palaihari, Tanah Laut, rose 2 meters above typical levels, submerging at least 6,346 houses in the two regencies.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), at least 21,990 residents of Tanah Laut have been displaced because of the floods. They are being accommodated at five shelters across the regency.
The floodwaters cut off the road between Palaihari district and the provincial capital of Banjarmasin.
Read also: 2020 weather disasters boosted by climate change: Report
In Balangan, heavy rainfall caused the Balangan and Pitap rivers to swell, causing flooding that reached 1.5 meters in depth. As of Saturday morning, the flood had not receded, the BNPB announced.
