The COVID-19 task force's deputy chief, Sen.Coms.Hendra Gunawan, told journalists that residents diagnosed with an asymptomatic coronavirus infection were moved to the hotel at 10 a.m. local time.
The task force personnel are coordinating with their counterparts from the Bekasi Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) to identify and register flood victims who meet the criteria to be evacuated to the hotel, he informed.
"We appeal to all sub-district police chiefs to help evacuate the flood victims whose status is asymptomatic patients by involving local health workers," he said.
According to the Bekasi Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), heavy flooding inundated at least 12 sub-districts in Bekasi district, West Java, after torrential rains lashed the areas on Saturday and Sunday.
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, said earlier.
The affected sub-districts include 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 struck Tamansari village, Setu sub-district, he noted. At least 38 houses were destroyed and 35 homes suffered minor damages in its wake, he added.
Assisted by local police and military personnel, the Bekasi district administration's disaster relief workers are handling 5,672 affected households in several flooded areas, he stated.
At least 13,021 households have reportedly borne the brunt of a landslide and flood that has inundated 92 areas in 27 villages and neighborhoods, Lincoln informed.
The torrential rains that lashed various parts of Bekasi district on Saturday and Sunday caused the Ciherang, Cibeet, and Citarum rivers to overflow their banks, he said.
As part of disaster mitigation efforts, the district government has deployed several inflatable boats to help evacuate those in need, while the police and military personnel have built relief centers and distributed aid packages.
Lincoln urged local residents to stay alert for potential extreme weather in future.
Various parts of Indonesia are prone to natural disasters. In the first two months of 2021, several hydrological disasters have occurred on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. (INE)
Related news: West Java: Floods hit 18 sub-districts in Indramayu district
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Pradita KS, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
