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Tropical Storm Iggy Passes, But Danger Still Remains
January 31, 2012

Residents in Tengkurak, Banten, on Monday cleared the ruins of houses attacked by Tropical Cyclone Iggy. The storm hit on Sunday night leaving one dead and more than 200 houses destroyed. Antara Photo Residents in Tengkurak, Banten, on Monday cleared the ruins of houses attacked by Tropical Cyclone Iggy. The storm hit on Sunday night leaving one dead and more than 200 houses destroyed. Antara Photo
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The death toll from the extreme weather brought by Tropical Cyclone Iggy rose to 17 on Monday, even as officials predicted the weather system was moving away from Indonesia.

The latest fatality was confirmed by search and rescue officials in Lebak, Banten, who recovered the body of a boy swept away by the rain-swollen Ciberang River on Friday.

The 14-year-old was one of two boys swept away by the currents that day. The body of the other boy, also 14, was recovered on Friday.

Irna, an official with the local search team, said the body of the second victim was found several kilometers downstream from where he was last seen.

Saeful, the search coordinator, said the current in the river was still too strong for people to go swimming, warning that it would only get worse as more rains were predicted.

“We urge residents not to swim in the river because it’s far too dangerous right now,” he said.

By Sunday, at least 16 people had been confirmed dead from the torrential rains and strong winds created by Tropical Cyclone Iggy, churning just south of Bali and the Nusa Tenggara island chain.

Fourteen of those killed were struck by trees felled by severe winds, while a child was killed in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Bali.

On Monday, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the adverse weather would soon let up.

“Over the next three days the effects from Iggy will still be felt, but the TCWC [Tropical Cyclone Warning Center] has predicted that it will weaken,” said Kukuh Ribudiyanto, the BMKG’s head of extreme weather.

He warned that although Iggy was moving further out to sea, the strong winds associated with the storm system would continue to whip up high waves, making it risky for fishing boats to venture out to sea.

Hari Tirto Jatmiko, a spokesman for the BMKG, said the storm system was continuing to move further south and west toward the open Indian Ocean.

He added that while the heavy rains would let up, coastal areas would still experience some gusts of strong wind.

On Sunday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the wind and rain associated with the cyclone had damaged more than 2,300 houses across the country.

In Temanggung, Banten, at least 15 homes and many power lines were damaged by the winds on Sunday night.

In neighboring Tangerang, the local disaster mitigation agency reported that 307 homes had been damaged as a result of flash floods and wind over the past few days.

Antara