Riau East Java Floods, Police Implement Open Close System

Floods on the East Cross Road (Jalintim) in Pangkalan Kerinci District, Pelalawan caused it difficult for vehicles to pass through inundation due to the overflow of the Kampar River. (ANTARA)

PEKANABARU - Pangkalan Kerinci Police Sector, Pelalawan Regency, Riau Province, has implemented a system to open and close the traffic flow on the East Cross (Jalintim) of Sumatra in the area due to flooding in the overflow of the Kampar River.

Head of Pangkalan Kerinci Police, AKP Tatit Rizkyan Hanafi, said the flood submerged three main points. First at Kilometer (KM) 83 Pangkalan Kuras with a water level of 50-55 centimeters, KM 80 and KM 76-78 in Pangkalan Kerinci with a puddle of 25-30 cm.

"Currently two-wheeled vehicles and sedans are advised not to pass because the inundation is deep enough. Only large vehicles can cross this route," said Tatit as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, March 13.

With these conditions, he continued, traffic flow in East Java had to be implemented with an open and close system. This causes the queue of vehicles to reach 500 meters to one km from the direction of Kerinci and Sorek.

A number of small vehicles choose to use towing services, while motorbikes can ride trucks or canoes as an alternative. This has happened in the last few days due to high rainfall.

In addition, this is also the impact of the opening of the empty gate of the Koto Panjang Water Power Plant reservoir, Kampar Regency, which caused the surface water level of the Kampar River to increase so that it inundated the road.

According to AKP Tatit, lane diversion is not possible because East Java is the main road. For this reason, motorists who continue to pass are advised to be careful and obey the officers' directions.

"We ask motorists to be patient and not to precede each other so that traffic remains orderly," he said.