VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Feb. 8 - State-owned Pertamina-Papua and Maluku Regional Office has distributed its aid packages to flood victims currently taking refuge in Pramuka building of Arso Swakarsa neighborhood, Arso Subdistrict, Keerom District, Papua.

The aid packages comprise basic household needs, baby diapers, baby milk bottles, mattresses, pillows, and blankets, the oil and gas company's spokesperson, Edi Mangun, said in a statement that ANTARA received here Sunday.

The Pertamina caring team members coordinated with the Keerom Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) to know the real needs of those badly affected by the flooding and taking refuge in several disaster zones, he said.

Floods struck parts of Keerom District, submerging residential and office areas on February 3.

Floods inundated the Arso Swakarsa-Arso II area, Arso City, and the villages of Asyaman, Yanamaa, Walukubun, Workwana, and Pitewi.

The East Arso Police Sector office was also inundated, Deputy Chief of the Keerom Resort Police Commissioner Martha Tolau stated when contacted from Jayapura.

The police deployed personnel to help residents whose settlements were affected by flooding.

"Several police officers have been deployed to help the flood-stricken residents," she confirmed.

The flooding was triggered by incessant heavy rains that had fallen since February 2, and caused the Tami River to overflow its bank.

Various parts of Indonesia are prone to natural disasters. Within the initial two months of 2021, several hydrological disasters have occurred in the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

In Java Island, for instance, flash floods inundated certain areas of Semarang in Central Java following heavy rainfall showering the city from Friday to Saturday.

Landslides also hit Cihanjuang Village in Cimanggung Sub-district, Sumedang District, West Java Province, on January 9.

Meanwhile, in Sumatra Island, flash floods and a landslide damaged seven homes and broke a bridge in Wih Ni Durin Village, Syiah Utama Sub-district, Bener Meriah District, Aceh Province, following incessant heavy rains in the Gayo highland area.

In the island of Kalimantan, massive floods and landslides also hit several parts of South Kalimantan following incessant downpour on January 12.

The floods affected the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah and the cities of Tanah Laut and Banjar Baru.

The massive floods, triggered by incessant heavy rains since January 12, reportedly claimed 15 lives, swamped 24,379 houses, and displaced 39,549 people. (Antaranews)