Floods Hit Siak Riau, 213 Families In 4 Affected Villages

A total of 213 families from four villages (villages), namely Sengkemang, Buantan II, Pangkalan Pisang, and Rantau Panjang in Siak Regency, Riau Province, were affected by flooding.

Siak Regent Afni Zulkifli said there were several factors that resulted in the overflow of water at several points in the three villages. First, the watersheds (DAS) or canals in the area have changed their functions and some even open the land next to them.

"The watershed cannot change its function, all of this watershed function has been fruitful. Earlier I saw that there was gardening on the edge of the watershed. Then, when water flows from above, while those below are not ready, this will happen," Afni said at Koto Gasib, Tuesday, confiscated by Antara.

Floods seemed to inundate a number of roads and hundreds of residential areas up to about 50 centimeters. Afni admitted that he did not expect the water discharge to come after heavy rains on Sunday, October 19 along with high tides.

Afni had seen the watershed through drones along the watersheds that had been planted with many plants. Then, there was also silting, so that when the blockage of the company's canal was opened it resulted in an impromptu flood.

"Earlier we saw that through drones, along the watershed flow, many plants should not have been planted there," he said.

Afni asked that in the future, both the company, regional apparatus, sub-district head and village government could coordinate with each other so that incidents like this do not happen again. Afni also ordered regional officials with the TNI and the Police to work together to help flood victims

"The short step is through the sub-district head so that while the people affected by the flood we evacuate, they will be evacuated first. Because it is feared that tonight there will be rain again, the water will be higher," he said.