Overflowing Tempe Lake, Dozens Of Districts In Wajo And Bone South Sulawesi Flood

MAKASSAR - Rainfall with moderate to heavy intensity over the last two days has triggered the water discharge of Lake Tempe to increase to overflowing.

As a result, dozens of sub-districts in two regencies of Wajo and Bone, in South Sulawesi were affected by floods, tens of houses and thousands of hectares of rice fields were also flooded.

"Temporary data there are eight sub-districts affected by floods in Wajo, tens of houses and thousands of rice fields are still flooded," said Head of the Wajo Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Andi Muslihin, quoted by Antara, Saturday, August 28.

The data entered were recorded as eight affected in Tempe District, Pammana District, Majaleng District, Keera District, Gilireng District, Maniangpajo District, Sabangparu District, and Pitumpanua District.

In addition, the flood also overflowed into a number of trans-provincial roads in the Tarumpakkae area, Liu Village, Majaleng District. The impact of the flood also inundated the City of Sengkang, Wajo. The water overflowed into residential areas on Lembua Street, Andi Mangga Street, Dahlia Street, Bau Baharuddin Street and around the Sengkang Central market.

The Wajo BPBD team, said Muslihin, is currently conducting assessments and data collection as well as evacuating and assisting affected residents.

"The team is currently registering residents and we are focusing on maintaining evacuation preparations for the affected residents there," he said.

Confirmed separately, the Head of BPBD of Bone Regency, Dray Vibrianto said that the Bone administrative area is also related to the Tempe Lake area, it was recorded that a number of sub-districts were affected by flooding when the lake water overflowed.

The area is located in the Cina and Sibulue Districts, as well as the Cenarana border. Meanwhile, in the northern part of Bone, flooding was also affected in Pompanua Village, Anjangale District, and inundated some residential areas. This location is in the upstream area of the local river.

The water also soaked the residents' public facilities and inundated tens of hectares of rice fields which will enter the harvest season next month.

"The plan is to harvest rice in some areas that are submerged there. We are currently collecting data and have not yet recorded the total material losses. Hopefully, there will be no casualties in this incident," he explained.

So far, his party continues to coordinate with relevant cross-sectors, such as Basarnas, and other humanitarian agencies. Because synergy is needed to get accurate data on how many people are affected.

Even though the water discharge is starting to recede, and the rain is still falling with light intensity, Dray added, his party is still monitoring and reporting on current developments on the flood incident.