sweet orange Maga - Mandailing

Thirty Eight Dead in Mandailing Natal Floods

Wednesday, 16 September, 2009 | 18:04 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Medan: As many as 25 people were killed due to the overflowing Muara Batang Gadis River in Mandailing Natal, North Sumatera, yesterday. Eighteen others remain missing while the Mandailing Natal District Police and the local population continue with their search.

According to Madina Police chief, Commissioner Engkos Kosasih, the flood was caused by heavy rains during the past two days. The villagers’ homes had been flooded since Tuesday morning. “The water was more than four-meter high,” Engkos said, contacted by Tempo yesterday.

Some of the victims, Engkos added, were found inside their homes while some others had been swept away by the river, ending in Tabayung lake. They normally live near Sulang Saling River, a branch of the Muara Batang Gadis River.

This time, the flood inundated seven villages, namely Hutarimbaru, Kuala Baru, Manuncang, Muara Batang Gadis, Lubuk Kapundung Satu, Lubuk Kapundung Dua, and Ranto Panjang. In these areas, at least 100 families are in danger and must relocate to a higher place because the water had not come down up until yesterday afternoon.

According to Engkos, the regional government has sent help to the victims through the river. The assistance is estimated to arrive today as the locations are difficult to reach.

To facilitate delivery of the assistance, Mandailing Natal regent Amru Daulay admitted a helicopter was needed. “I have informed the governor,” he said, adding that until yesterday afternoon, 25 people had died, “but tonight the number has gone up to 38,” Amru said.

Amru added that food and medication had been sent by speedboat, although there were difficulties initially. “The officials would not send the aid by speedboat because of the high waves and the many logs strewn across the Sulang Saling River, left behind by timber companies or cut down by illegal loggers,” he said.

SOETANA MONANG

source: http://tempo.co.id/hg/nasional/2009/09/16/brk,20090916-198411,uk.html