82 OKU Residents' Houses In South Sumatra In 8 Villages Inundated In Floods Due To Heavy Rain

Residents of Baturaja OKU South Sumatra walk in flood puddles. BETWEEN/Edo Purmana

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) recorded that 82 housing units in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Regency in South Sumatra (Sumsel) were flooded due to the high rainfall that occurred on Wednesday, July 30 at 23.00 WIB.

"Based on the results of the latest data collection, 82 housing units and 322 OKU residents were recorded who were affected by the flood," said Head of BPBD OKU Januar Efendi through the Manager of Pusdalops, Gunalfi in Baturaja, Friday, as reported by Antara.

He said the high rainfall that caused the overflow of the Ogan River had an impact on flooding that submerged residential areas in five villages and four sub-districts in OKU Regency.

The flood-affected areas include eight villages or sub-districts, namely Tanjung Kemala, Canal, Tanjung Baru, Batu Putih, Laya, Sukajadi Village, Kemalaja, Pasar Baru, and Baturaja Lama.

Although there were no casualties, he said, due to flooding with water levels reaching 80 centimeters, it disrupted the activities of people affected by natural disasters.

"We have deployed personnel to the location of natural disasters to help residents clean up mud in houses carried by the flood currents," he said.

The OKU BPBD together with the Social Assistance Task Force Team dispatched personnel and equipment to locations affected by the flood to prepare for evacuation if needed.

"So far no casualties have been evacuated because since yesterday afternoon the floods in all affected areas have receded," he explained.

Even though the flood has receded, he continued, until now his party is still conducting patrols around the flood site to anticipate further disasters to anticipate casualties.

"We also urge the public to continue to increase their vigilance in the face of potential aftershocks so as not to cause casualties," he said.