Dessy Sagita

Flooding in Pasaruan district, East Java, over the weekend inundated almost 6,000 houses forcing some to evacuate. (Antara Photo/Musyawir)

Bad Weather Kills at Least 3 in Indonesia; Heavy Rain Set to Continue

As floodwaters inundated thousands of houses around the country over the weekend, the weather agency issued a warning on Sunday against continuing downpours today.

In its alert, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecast strong winds, lightning storms and torrential rain in Sumatra, Central and Southern Kalimantan, East Java, Greater Jakarta, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, most of Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.

Torrential rain over the weekend left several parts of the country under water. In East Java, storms submerged thousands of homes and left at as many as four people dead.

“Pasuruan [East Java] is the worst-hit area. The flood inundated nearly 6,000 houses and three people died, while one is still missing,” Priyadi Kardono, the spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday.

Priyadi said two of the victims died after being swept away by floods and the other died after being struck by lightning.

He said that BNPB team was still searching for the missing person.

Rustam Pakaya, head of the H e alth Ministry’s Crisis Center, said the flood affected four districts in Pasuruan. He said at least 150 people had been evacuated to safer places such as mosques.

Rustam said the local government had conducted some emergency measures, including establishing some open kitchens and distributing basic necessities to the victims’ houses. Rustam also said the ministry had sent a medical team to help the victims.

He added that no serious medical problems had been reported yet.

Priyadi said flooding also occurred in Telanaipura subdistrict in Jambi, South Sumatra.

He said more than 300 houses were inundated by floodwater up to two meters deep, adding that the flood had caused dozens of families to evacuate to higher ground.

In Pagaralam, South Sumatra, the heavy rain caused landslides in several parts of the district.

Adj. Chief Comr. Abdul Soleh, head of the Pagaralam Police was quoted by Kompas.com as saying that the landslides had caused some traffic problems.

Abdul said that as a result of the landslides, mud, huge rocks and trees were now proving a danger to motorists in several areas of the district.

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