Four People Washed Away by Floods in East Java

The Jakarta Globe, December 18, 2013.


Four people died in Bojonegoro and Gresik, East Java, after they were swept away by floods caused by heavy downpours in the areas.

“The floods caused two people to die in Desa Merbong and Desa Pilang Gede, in Bojonegoro district, while two other people died in Gresik district,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said via text message on Tuesday night.

The victims from Bojonegoro are Mustain, a 3-year-old boy, and 13-year-old Andika Sancana. Putra Kemadi, 50, and Andrean, 19, died in Gresik.

Sutopo said that the floods of the Bengawan Solo and Lamong rivers since Saturday have continued to inundate some areas of East Java.

As of Tuesday afternoon, he said, the brimming over of the Bengawan Solo has inundated 4,085 homes spread across 63 villages in the three districts of Bojonegoro, Tuban and Lamongan. Meanwhile, the Lamong river caused floods in Mojokerto and Gresik; some 7,957 houses and hundreds of hectares of rice fields remain deluged in 42 villages.

Approximately 3,500 people from Bojonegoro and 350 people from Gresik have been evacuated from their villages.

Sutopo said the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPPD) along with the Indonesian Military (TNI), the local police, the regional administration, volunteers and local people have helped with the emergency efforts by distributing meals and establishing posts in some areas to give support to the flood victims.



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