People must be prepared with equipment that can be used in an emergency situation."Bandung (ANTARA News) - Around 18 thousand houses were inundated in Bojongsoang, Baleendah and Dayeuhkolot sub-districts, Bandung District, West Java, on Monday, following the overflow of the Citarum River.
"According to the latest report from our members, the floods started entering the residential areas at around 2 a.m. today," Dadang Wahidin, coordinator of the Bandung Youths Disaster Alert association, stated here, on Monday.
Many residents from the three flood-affected sub-districts have evacuated themselves to higher levels such as the low-cost rented apartments and the local government offices.
The floodwaters in Baleendah reached a height of up to 2.8 meters, in Dayeuhkolot around three meters and Bojongsoang about 2.2 meters, he pointed out.
The floods were triggered by incessant heavy rains since Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) called upon the residents of Jakarta and its satellite town of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) to remain alert because floods remain a threat to these areas until March.
Head of BNPBs Information Data Center Sutopo Purwo Nugroho recently pointed out that residents living in areas prone to floods need to remain alert.
"Jabodetabek is facing flood threat until March because it is still the rainy season," he explained.
He added that rainfalls in Java were lesser in February than in January but they increase during March, and people should keep a watch for floods and landslides.
"People must be prepared with equipment that can be used in an emergency situation. One should remain cautious when traveling on the streets," he added.
He elaborated that based on his agencys monitoring so far, the death of victims during the recent floods in Jakarta was due to the fact that some were electrocuted and some others slipped in and fell into the sewage.
The death toll due to floods in Jakarta until January 26 reached 23 people, according to the data of Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).
(Uu.INE/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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