Thousands in C. Sulawesi take refuge from floods

The Jakarta Post, May 08, 2007

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

A flash flood that struck Parigi Moutong regency in Central Sulawesi (not South Sulawesi as mentioned earlier) on Sunday has dumped up to a meter of mud in residential areas, preventing people from returning to their homes.

The Parigi Moutong regency administration reported that at least 1,096 people were taking refuge and more than 30 homes were badly damaged, with 100 more lightly damaged.

Regent Longky Djanggola said evacuees had taken shelter at SMP 6 high school and Petapa Inpres elementary school in Parigi district.

Two residents who were earlier reported missing and believed to have drowned, were found alive and in stable condition. One is still being treated at Parigi Moutong General Hospital.

Two people killed in the flood, Juluhi, 50, and Zulkifli, 45, were buried Monday.

Meanwhile, 10 villages in three districts in Donggala regency, Central Sulawesi, have reportedly been flooded for the past three days. There are no reports of casualties, but hundreds of residents have been forced to evacuate to safer areas because their homes and surrounding agricultural areas are flooded.

The villages, located in Dolo, Sigi Biromaru and Kulawi districts, are still submerged in up to a meter of water.

The worst-hit areas are Kaleke and Sidindo villages in Dolo district, and Bangga and Saluki villages in Kulawi district. Land communication has been totally cut and residents are forced to travel in carts pulled by oxen.

A Kaleke villager, Muhammad Syamsi, 55, said the current floods are worse than in previous years. His house was inundated by up to one meter of water, forcing him and his family to evacuate to higher ground.

"It flooded last year also, but we didn't have to evacuate because the water was only ankle-deep. But the flooding is quite bad this time," he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Floods also hit Palu city, with the subdistricts of Maesa in East Palu district and Lere and Juna in West Palu suffering the worst of the damage.

The Palu River burst its banks, but flooding in the city did not force people to evacuate. There have been no reported casualties.