The police officers would help evacuate, give medical services and manage the traffic, Senior Commissioner Hery Subiansauri, a spokesman of the North Sumatra Police, said here Friday.
"It`s a joint team. They were selected in accordance with the needs in the fields," Hery said.
Floods triggered by incessant heavy rains, submerged Batang Kuis area, Deli Serdang District, and seven sub districts in Medan city, North Sumatra.
The flood-affected sub districts are Medan Tuntungan, Medan Selayang, Medan Polinia, Medan Baru, Medan Petisah, Medan Johor, and Medan Maimun.
Spokesman of the Medan city administration Khairul Buhari said several rivers have spilled out and flooded the city.
"There are no reports of casualty, and we are still collecting data on the material losses," Khairul Buharai said.
In Bengkulu, also on Sumatra Island, flood inundated tens of hectares of rice fields at Banjarsari village, Enggano Island sub district, Bengkulu Utara District, following the overflowing of Kahabi River.
Kahabi River overflowed and flooded 36 hectares of rice fields and spoiled crops, Banjarsari Village Secretary Winarto Rudi, said here Friday.
"This is the biggest flood that we have experienced. The forest conversion has caused rivers and swampy areas to overflow up to residential areas," he said.
Coordinator of the Enggano tribal chiefs Iskandar Zulkarnain Kauno said the flood was due to large-scale deforestation in areas surrounding Banjarsari village.
"Deforestation up to the mangrove forest in the beach has affected Banjarsari. We have never been flooded this worse before," he said.
Parts of the forest have been converted into rubber, cacao and other crop plantations.
He blamed on new comers who have settled down at the village for the deforestation.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
