Flash Floods Hit Maluku Ambalau Island, Inter-village Bridge Breaks

Illustration of floods (ANTARA)

AMBON - Flash floods hit six villages in Ambalau District, South Buru Regency, Maluku due to heavy rains in the area, Sunday, June 29 evening. Several public facilities were submerged and the inter-village crossing bridge was cut off.

Flash floods hit Selasi Village, Elara Village, Siwar Lumoy Village, Masawoy Village, Ulima Village, and Kampung Baru Village suddenly caused residents on Amba Island to panic to save themselves.

"Floods suddenly came, we panicked saving our belongings to a safer place," said a resident of Zakaria Lesilawang.

According to him, the flood submerged residents' houses and a number of public facilities, such as schools. The crossing bridge between villages on Ambalau Island collapsed was swept away by the bandang.

The worst flooding occurred in Siwar Village, Elara Village, and Selasi Village. A number of houses in the three villages were badly damaged and residents fled to their relatives or neighbors.

There were no casualties in the flood on Ambalau Island. Residents hope that the local government will immediately intervene to carry out an emergency response, because some residents have fled. Losses due to flooding are estimated at billions of rupiah.