Indonesia Sinking - 2nd January 2012

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Heavy Downpour, Ten Areas in Java Flooded

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VIVAnews – Heavy downpour early this year hit several major cities in Java.   

National Disaster Management Bureau (BNPB) mentioned that entering 2012, a number of areas in ten cities in Central Java and East Java were flooded almost simultaneously. 

“It is recorded that Solo, Sragen, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Klaten, Brebes, Nganjuk, Pasuruan, Bungo, and Banjar were flooded since last night until most of today,” said the Bureau’s Public Relations, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho on Monday, Jan 2. 

He said the heavy rain in Solo and its surrounding areas has caused Bengawan Solo River to overflow, thus inundated the city.  Several rivers in Sragen were overflowed and flooded the Solo-Sragen-Surabaya main road.  “Traffic was cut off because the water reached one meter high,” he said.

Meanwhile, heavy rain in Sleman flooded a number of areas that were never flooded before. In the afternoon, the water level in Code River in Yogyakarta increased because of heavy rain in the slopes of Mount Merapi and Yogyakarta. Cold lava flood struck a number of villages in Klaten, especially those located nearby Kaliworo.

Sutopo said that floods also hit Tanjung and Losari districts in Brebes, Central Java.  The floods were caused by a dam breach in Ciapit River in Tanjung district and Bancang River in Losari district.  “The floods were also caused by a dam breach in Kabuyutan River in Tanjung and Kersana districts,” he said. 

Several villages in Nganjuk, East Java were also reported to be flooded. “Four houses were destroyed.  In Pasuruan, heavy downpour hit the area since 3.30 p.m, on Sunday (1/1) and caused Kedung Larangan River to be overflowed,” he said.

At least 2,675 houses were flooded.  Eight flooded villages were Masangan, Latek, Kalirejo, Kalianyar, Tambakan, Manaruwi, Kidul Dalem and Raci.  The worst hit villages were Kalianyar and Tambakan.  At least 750 houses in the two villages were overwhelmed by water.