Flash Flood Hits Six Villages in South Sumatra

Palembang, S Sumatra (Antara) - A flash flood triggered by heavy rains swept through six villages in South Sumatra's Ogan Komering Ulu Selatan district on Saturday night, inundating hundreds of homes and destroying hectares of paddy fields and coffee plantations. The flash flood that affected the villages in four sub-districts followed nearly three hours of heavy rains until 03.00 a.m. on Sunday. A number of houses were submerged by flood water which reached 5 to 6 meters, an Antara journalist observed. Many residents panicked when they saw flood water inundating their homes, Tiga Dihaji sub-district head Fahrudin said. Chief of the Buay Sandang Aji police precinct 1st Insp. A Musrin said the flash flood inflicted material losses but claimed no lives. "We are still counting how many residents whose houses are flooded, including material losses caused by the flood," he said. (*)