Karawang Flood Spread, Drowning Thousands of Houses in 26 Villages

KARAWANG - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Karawang Regency, West Java, said that flooding due to the overflow of two major rivers, namely Citarum and Cibeet, had submerged thousands of houses in 26 villages.

"Flooding in Karawang has been going on for several days and now the affected areas are expanding, because the waters of the Citarum and Cibeet Rivers, as well as other rivers, are overflowing," said Deputy Regent (Wabup) of Karawang Maslani, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 19.

According to the records of the Karawang BPBD, there are 3,162 houses that are submerged in the flood, spread across 26 villages and 12 sub-districts around Karawang. Meanwhile, the number of affected residents is 13,400 people.

The Deputy Regent emphasized that all levels of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) in the Karawang Regency Government, especially the BPBD, could be more agile and ready to deal with flood disasters.

The distribution of logistics to affected residents must be truly targeted and the Regent Maslani appealed for the community to remain vigilant and maintain their health.

Head of the Karawang BPBD Usep Supriatna said the number of people affected by the flood reached 13,400 people consisting of 4,300 heads of households (KK), which were spread across 26 villages in 12 sub-districts.

In addition to soaking the residents' settlements, he continued, the flood also soaked public facilities such as highways as well as educational facilities and worship facilities. Even soaking the rice fields.

"BPBD Karawang, he said, has made various efforts to handle flood disasters, including assessments, data collection, field checks, and rapid studies to find out the conditions and needs in flood-affected areas.

The Karawang Regency Government (Pemkab) has also built a disaster standby post and evacuated residents and distributed logistics to a number of flood points.