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Central Tapanuli Flash Floods Claim Six Lives, Render Three Missing
Written by Ani Hasanah
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Officers of the Central Tapanuli disaster mitigation office carried a dead body following flooding that hit the district on Jan 29, 2020
photo/ Antara/HO/h-fdh
Six people lost their lives, while three went missing in the flash floods that hit Central Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province, according to the Central Tapanuli Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD), North Sumatra Province.
Those who died in the flash floods were the residents of Barus and Andam Dewi sub-districts, Agus Haryanto, Secretary of the Central Tapanuli BPBD, confirmed here on Wednesday.
The flooding also caused injuries to 22 people and inundated some 700 homes.
"The latest data indicated that six people died, while three were declared missing. The dead victims are yet being identified," he noted.
Flooding due to torrential rain submerged seven villages in Barus Sub-district, Central Tapanuli District, North Sumatra, on early Wednesday morning.
The flood-affected villages were Kampung Mudik, Pasar Terandam, Bungo Tanjung, Kinali, Ujung Batu, Batu Gerigis, and Padang Masiang.
Evacuation posts and health posts have been established in the district to handle residents affected by the natural disaster.
In the meantime, the torrent of water from incessant heavy rains, lashing since Tuesday, led to extensive flooding that inundated at least 163 homes in South Tapanuli District, North Sumatra Province.
"The number of houses submerged by the flooding has reached 163," Habibullah Harahap, the chief of Simataniari Village, Angkola Sangkunur Sub-district, stated on Wednesday.
The floodwaters began entering the residents' homes at around 4 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, as the Sangkunur and Batang Toru rivers overflowed their banks.
"In Pardomuan hamlet, 96 families are affected by flooding, while 67 families in Setia Baru are impacted. A total of 163 houses have been flooded," he stated.
The floodwaters in Pardomuan reached heights of up to two meters, while one-meter-high waters were recorded in Setia Baru.
Some 50 families were forced to flee to higher ground, he stated.
Indonesia is currently experiencing a wet rainy season after being hit by prolonged dry spell during last year's dry season. (ANTARA)
