Scores of villages in Pekanbaru isolated by flash floods

The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru, Riau , Wed, December 20, 2017

Flash floods in Kampar, Riau, have isolated 16 other villages in the upstream side of the regency.

The Kampar Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BPBD) flood mitigation operation command center head, Chandra, said the flooding had been occurring since Monday evening as the Lipai River had overflowed.

“The thigh-high floodwaters have inundated dozens of houses in Deras, Tanjung Karang and Batu Sasak villages in Kampar Hulu and Kampar Kiri district,” Chandra said on Wednesday.

“No fatalities have been reported. Data on material losses is still being collected.”

Chandra said flooding had also caused damage to a road that connected the flood-affected villages with Lipat Kain, a district capital.

“Parts of the road are severely damaged. Vehicles cannot pass the road, which has never been paved,” said Chandra.

“A bridge in Batu Sasak village has been destroyed by the floodwater, just like what happened in 2015.”

Nine of the 16 villages are located in Kampar Kiri while the others are in Kampar Kiri Hulu.

“Floodwaters started to recede on Tuesday afternoon, but the damaged road cannot be repaired yet. Construction material and equipment cannot be transported to the area,” said Chandra.

The flood-affected villages are located in the Rimbang Baling wildlife reserve, hampering the construction of a permanent transportation route.


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