OMEN
06-29-2006, 10:48 AM
FLOODS triggered by heavy rains in the Indonesian portion of Borneo island have forced at least 40,000 people to flee their homes and killed at least two people.
"Some 40,000 people ... in Banjar district have left their homes for safer ground after the waters of the Martapura and Riam Kiwa rivers began flooding," said Hadi Susilo, from South Kalimantan's disaster control office.
Downpours to the north of South Kalimantan province had swollen the rivers drastically from yesterday morning and flooded most of the district, with some areas under more than two metres of water, he said.
About 3,000 of the evacuees feared that a local dam would burst its banks, Susilo said.
"Besides the number of people who left their homes, what is making it more difficult to handle is that this is happening at the same time in so many places across the district," Susilo said.
Floods had also hit some areas in Tanah Bumbu district but as the waters were not too deep, mass evacuations had not occurred, he said.Two people swept away by floods in the district's Setui area however were found dead, he said.
Widespread floods and landslides hit the Kotabaru district of South Kalimantan earlier in the week, cutting off roads and bridges.
Heavy tropical rains have also lashed regions on the island of Sulawesi this month. In South Sulawesi, flash floods and landslides killed more than 200 people and left some 13,000 people homeless.
AAP
"Some 40,000 people ... in Banjar district have left their homes for safer ground after the waters of the Martapura and Riam Kiwa rivers began flooding," said Hadi Susilo, from South Kalimantan's disaster control office.
Downpours to the north of South Kalimantan province had swollen the rivers drastically from yesterday morning and flooded most of the district, with some areas under more than two metres of water, he said.
About 3,000 of the evacuees feared that a local dam would burst its banks, Susilo said.
"Besides the number of people who left their homes, what is making it more difficult to handle is that this is happening at the same time in so many places across the district," Susilo said.
Floods had also hit some areas in Tanah Bumbu district but as the waters were not too deep, mass evacuations had not occurred, he said.Two people swept away by floods in the district's Setui area however were found dead, he said.
Widespread floods and landslides hit the Kotabaru district of South Kalimantan earlier in the week, cutting off roads and bridges.
Heavy tropical rains have also lashed regions on the island of Sulawesi this month. In South Sulawesi, flash floods and landslides killed more than 200 people and left some 13,000 people homeless.
AAP