Pelaihari, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Landslides, triggered by massive floods that hit Tanah Laut District in South Kalimantan Province this week, had claimed five lives of local residents as of Saturday, Tanah Laut District Head Sukamta said.

"The landslides struck Guntung Besar Village and Gunung Keramaian area of Panggung Baru Village in Pelaihari Subdistrict," Sukamta was quoted by ANTARA as saying in Pelaihari, Tanah Laut District, on Sunday.

A joint team of rescuers from the district administration, National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), police, military, and community kept attempting to search for those who might still get trapped under landslide, he said.

"In Gunung Keramaian area, a resident survived the landslide; another was found dead; while the other one still goes missing," he said while urging locals to stay alert over new landslides.

The massive floods, caused by heavy rainfall, had also toppled two bridges connecting the areas of Angsau and Pabahanan Subdistricts as well Kurau and Takisung Subdistricts.

"We have coordinated with the South Kalimantan Road Construction Department and army's engineering unit to fix the collapsed bridges to enable locals to regain road access," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that as of Saturday, the massive flooding that has inundated several parts of South Kalimantan Province over the past few days has also displaced some 112,709 people.

The floods had submerged a total of 27,111 homes in the province, according to the agency's chief of the operation control center, Bambang Surya Putra.

The agency had extended ready-for-use funds of Rp1 billion for South Kalimantan Province, and Rp500 million each for the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah and the cities of Banjar Baru and Tanah Laut.

BNPB had also set up five evacuee tents and prepared 100 beds, one 10-meter-long folding boat, and 100 packs of fast food, food supplements, and masks for refugees.

The floods have affected the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah, and the cities of Tanah Laut and Banjar Baru.

The floods have hit Banjar District the hardest, submerging 14,791 homes and forcing 51,362 people to take refuge.

In Tapin district, the floods inundated 112 homes and forced 1,777 people to shift to higher ground.


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Translator: Firman, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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