"Big flows of water from the hill filled the river of Kalipay that overflowed its banks and sent the flood water to the village," district military chief Captain Bomer Sinaga said here on Tuesday.
Many villagers were not prepared for the flood and did not expect the flood would hit them when they were asleep that night, Bomer said.
The military post in Kalipay in the Papua - Papua New Guinea border area was also hit by the flood, but the hardest hit was the village.
Many houses especially those close to the river banks were damaged and swept away by the strong current. A number of people were missing and were not found until Tuesday, Kalipay village chief Lazarus Amo said.
Bomer said after the flood was over police and military soldiers helped the local people remove the waste materials and garbage brought in by the floods and repair damaged houses.
"This work of cleaning and repairs may last for a week or longer given the heaps of waste material, garbage and rocks and the damage to the houses caused by the floods," he said.
The villagers need help as they also have to go to the fields to tend their crops, he said.
Lazarus Amo said almost all houses in the village were seriously damaged and some are totally destroyed or swept away by the strong current.
"The villagers are in difficulty to repair or rebuild new houses to replace ones. We are very grateful for the support extended by the military and police including donation in food," the village chief said.
Villagers could recover some of their goods from below the flood water, but many lost their valuables, he said.
Amo hoped the district administration could help in coping with the problem faced by the villagers.
Reporting by Alfian Rumagit
Editing by Albert Saragih, Sri Haryati
Reporter: Alfian Rumagit
Editor: Bustanuddin
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
