Due To Overcapacity Drainage, Floods In Rejang Lebong

Overflowing from the sewer while inundating roads and residential areas in Sidorejo Village, Central Curup District, Rejang Lebong, Bengkulu Province (ANTARA)

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, said that floods that often hit urban areas in the area were due to excess capacity drains or drainage.

"The disposal channel in Curup City is currently overcapacity so that it can no longer accommodate rainwater. When it rains heavily, the sewer overflows onto the streets and enters the residents' housing," said Head of BPBD Rejang Lebong Shalahuddin in Rejang Lebong, quoted from ANTARA.

He explained that the heavy rains that have occurred in Rejang Lebong Regency for the past few weeks have caused a number of points in urban areas to be flooded, including those in Central Curup, Curup Kota, and North Curup Districts.

The floods that hit a number of sub-districts in Rejang Lebong Regency, he said, in addition to the drainage channels that were no longer able to accommodate rainwater, there was also a lack of public awareness not to litter.

"This flood is also due to a lot of garbage clogging the drainage. If this is the case, BPBD personnel and cleaning staff must work hard to clean up garbage that clogs the sewers so that water does not overflow into the streets and residential areas," he said.

In order to overcome the problem of flooding in urban areas, a solvent channel or drain in the parent drainage in urban areas must be built, so that not all of the rainwater falling from the top goes to urban areas.

Meanwhile, the impact of extreme weather that hit the area in recent weeks has caused landslides and floods in Tebat Village, Bermani Ulu District. Then floods in the area of Sidorejo Village, Central Curup District and floods in Balai Buntar Village, Sindang Beliti Ilir District.

"So far, no casualties have fallen due to landslides and floods that hit a number of points in Rejang Lebong Regency. Currently, BPBD personnel Rejang Lebong and volunteers in 156 villages and sub-districts have been prepared because the current rainfall is still high," he said.

He also appealed to residents of Rejang Lebong Regency who live in a number of disaster-prone sub-districts to increase their self-awareness, and get ready to evacuate to a safe place if it rains with moderate and heavy intensity that falls for a long time.