- FOTO ANTARA/Widodo S. Jusuf
VIVAnews – Public Works Ministry’s River and Beach Director, Pitoyo Subandrio, warned that starting December 2011 to February 2012, flood, landslides and hurricanes will hit Indonesia.
Therefore, Pitoyo emphasized the importance of preparation, management and prevention. “River channel rehabilitation and other supporting means, such as ambulances and medical facilities must be prepared,” said Pitoyo today, Dec 22.
He said that flood management would be difficult if the community does not take part in the efforts.
Pitoyo said that flood during the rainy season in 2012 is imminent. Pitoyo referred to the statement of Head of BNPB Information Data Center, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, who said that starting from January until February 2012, there will be 11 provinces in Indonesia that might be hit by huge floods, plus another 16 provinces that might be subjects to landslides.
“Flood will be dominant in western parts of Indonesia. Whereas, the eastern part of Indonesia will be hit flash floods,” Pitoyo said.
Pitoyo said that the disasters will occur simultaneously. He said that around 5 regencies in Central Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Central Java, and East Java have been hit by floods.
“The flood in Sigi, Central Sulawesi, has killed 2 residents of Kulawi sub-district. Then, in Pati, Central Java, flash flood washed away 5 villages and killed 1 person,” he explained.
Pitoyo said that in November 2011, more than 15 areas were hit by floods. This is not including the landslides that killed dozens. Several other victims are still declared missing.
“In Semarang, Central Java, hundreds of houses from Jalan Senjoyo I to Jalan Senjoyo III were flooded. Nagari Kambang, Lengayang subdistrict, Pesisir Selatan, in KM. 133 from Padang, West Sumatra, was hit by flash flood. Then 14 houses in Kampung Muara Ciwidey, Pementasan village, Bandung, West Java, almost collapsed. In Jambi Province, half of Kerinci regency was hit by flood of 1.5 meters high,” explained Pitoyo.
