The floodwaters, reaching between 30 and 150 centimeters in height, swamped affected areas in the 12 sub-districts, the agency's acting head, Henri Lincoln, stated in Cikarang, West Java Province.
The affected sub-districts are Cibitung, Tambun Utara, Tambun Selatan, Cikarang Utara, Cabangbungin, Pebayuran, Sukawangi, Sukakarya, Cikarang Timur, Sukatani, Babelan, and Kecamatan Muaragembong, Lincoln remarked.
In addition to flooding, a "puting beliung" (whirlwind) also hit Tamansari Village, Setu Sub-district, causing destruction to 38 houses and minor damages to 35 others, he noted.
Assisted by local police and military personnel, the Bekasi district administration's disaster relief workers have been handling 5,672 affected households in several flooded areas.
Some 13,021 households reportedly bore the brunt of a landslide and flooding that inundated 92 areas in 27 villages and neighborhoods, he stated.
The torrential rains that lashed various areas in Bekasi District from Saturday to Sunday had triggered the Ciherang, Cibeet, and Citarum rivers to overflow their banks, he remarked.
As part of the disaster mitigation efforts, the district government has deployed several inflatable boats to help in evacuating those in need, while the police and military personnel built relief centers and distributed aid packages.
Lincoln has urged local residents to stay alert for potential extreme weather in future.
Various parts of Indonesia are prone to natural disasters. Within the initial two months of 2021, several hydrological disasters have occurred in the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.
In Java Island, for instance, flash floods had inundated certain areas of Semarang in Central Java following heavy rains battering the city from Friday to Saturday.
Landslides also hit Cihanjuang Village in Cimanggung Sub-district, Sumedang District, West Java Province, on January 9.
Meanwhile, in Sumatra Island, flash floods and a landslide damaged seven homes and caused a bridge to collapse in Wih Ni Durin Village, Syiah Utama Sub-district, Bener Meriah District, Aceh Province, following incessant heavy rains in the Gayo highland area.
In the island of Kalimantan, massive floods and landslides also hit several parts of South Kalimantan following incessant downpour on January 12.
Floods affected the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah and the cities of Tanah Laut and Banjar Baru.
The massive floods, triggered by incessant heavy rains since January 12, reportedly claimed 15 lives, swamped 24,379 houses, and displaced 39,549 people.
Related news: PMI distributes food to East Jakarta's flood-stricken victims
Related news: Several train travels still diverted due to Semarang's flooding
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
