Floods Inundate Hundreds of Houses in East Java

Bojonegoro, E Java (Antara) - Floods overflowing from Bengawan Solo after incessant rain have inundated hundreds of houses at several villages in Bojonegoro, East Java. As of Monday morning, hundreds of houses in Kecamatan Kota, dander, and Trucuk subdistricts have been inundated by flood waters. "The flood waters inundated tens of residences in our area with height at 50 centimeters average since last night," said the Neighborhood Chief at Ledokwetan Suryanto here on Monday. The overflow also submerged some houses at the seventh neighborhood area, said Suryanto. According to him, the citizen in the region had start to secure their properties include vehicles, livestock, and other precious assets to a higher place. "The citizen at Dander and Trucuk Sub-districts also conduct similar effort to secure their properties and livestock after their neighborhood inundated by the overflow since a day ago. The water is still raise in fast," Suryanto said. Chief Operation of Technical Unit at Bengawan Solo Water Resources Management Mucharom predicted the water height will keep in raise to reach 15 meters above and enter the third stage. "Bengawan Solo River overflows in Ngawi, E Java still in rise. Moreover, the current condition has enter the third stage as water height reached 9.25 meters on Monday 06.00 am," Mucharom said. The water height at Karangnangko village of Ngraho Sub-district, located 70 kilometers from Bojonegoro city, has reached 29.25 meters. Mucharom said that the water level at the downstream areas in city of Tuban and Lamongan will still increase to enter second stage condition. However the water height level in Jurug of Solo, C Java has decreased to the first stage condition with 6.97 meters on Monday at 06.00 am. "The Bengawan Solo overflow at Ngawi is caused by flood in Jurug of Solo on two days ago," he said. Secretary of Bojonegoro Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) MZ Budi Mulyono said that his institution has not received the report yet about the flood that struck the areas. However BPBD will prepare several evacuation points for refugees including Regional Administration building at Ledokwetan Village, Kota Sub-district and evacuation tents as well as emergency food supplier. "We still have supply of staple needs for the refugees," the Chief of Bojonegoro BPBD, Kasiyanto, said.(*) (UU.B019/A/Bayu/O. Tamindael)