Water Mixed With Mud Floods Residents' Houses In Tanjungpinang

TANJUNGPINANG - Water mixed with mud entered the houses belonging to dozens of residents on Transito Street, Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands.

A resident of Transito Street, Wendri, said that water mixed with mud had flowed from the highlands into people's homes since the waterways were closed.

"This has happened twice in the past two weeks. We have reported it to the police and the local government," he said, quoted by Antara, Monday, November 1.

Residents suspect that the puddle of water mixed with mud was caused by land razing carried out by the company. The company had built a water channel but it was closed again.

"Trees on an area of about 1 hectare, which normally absorb water, are cut down," he complained.

Residents complain because there is no solution offered by the government or the company in dealing with the problem.

"Who else are we going to complain to? We can't give up every time it rains heavily and we have to deal with flooding," he said.

Regarding this problem, the Head of the Tanjungpinang Housing and Settlement Service, Zulhidayat, said that as many as 32 areas in the Riau Islands capital were prone to flooding.

The puddle that occurred on Transito Street was caused by the waterway built by the company in the area being closed again as a truck lane.

The closure of the waterways caused water mixed with mud to enter the residents' houses.

"It can't be like that. The drainage should be opened to prevent flooding. We will urge the company to reopen the drainage," he said.