Hundreds Of Houses In Cirebon Submerged By Floods Sent By The Ciberes River

Flood conditions that submerged a number of points in Gunungsari and Mekarsari villages, Cirebon Regency, West Java, Thursday (20/11/2025). (ANTARA)

The floods reportedly submerged two villages, namely Gunungsari and Mekarsari in Cirebon Regency, West Java, after heavy rains flushed the area since Wednesday 19 November afternoon and affected hundreds of houses.

Gunungsari Village officials in Cirebon Regency, Nanang, said that the flood began to enter residential areas at around 16.00 to 19.00 WIB, due to an increase in water discharge from the upstream area of the Ciberes River.

"From 13.00 to 16.00 WIB it was raining too heavily. Water from the upstream (Kuningan) area came here, so this is a flood of shipments," said Nanang, quoted by Antara, Thursday, November 20.

He explained that previously the increase in the water discharge at the river dam had reached around 90 cm and this information made residents on standby since the afternoon.

According to him, about 590 to 600 houses in five hamlets in Gunungsari Village were inundated with a water level of about 70 cm, even flooding was reported in Mekarsari.

Dusun satu sampai lima semua terdampak, kecuali rumah yang rusaknya tinggi. Sekolah semua terdampak, hari ini diliburukkan," ujarnya.

Nanang said that two refugee camps had opened, namely at the village hall and the house of one of the community leaders.

However, after the water receded, he said, the majority of residents immediately returned to their respective homes to clean the house from the mud left over from the flood.

He conveyed that flood events in the area occur almost every rainy season, where the village government has repeatedly proposed various treatments.

"Efforts have been frequent, but we hope that the handling will be maximized so that it doesn't happen again," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of BPBD Cirebon Regency, Ikin Asikin, appealed to the public to increase their vigilance to enter the peak of the rainy season, because public preparedness is the key to reducing the risk of losses due to flooding.

People need to understand what is done before, during, and after the flood. A simple step can save lives," he said.

He said residents need to prepare various anticipations such as cleaning ditches, making infiltration wells, and securing electronic equipment to high places.

When the flood occurred, he said, residents were asked to remain calm and obey the officers' instructions, including turning off the electricity and ready to evacuate if needed.

"In an emergency situation, the public is asked to immediately contact the 112 service which operates 24 hours," he said.

As of Thursday morning, a team from BPBD and the Cirebon Regency Social Service (Dinsos) had evacuated and distributed aid to flood victims.

As for the data related to the number of houses and communities affected by the flood, an assessment is still being carried out by the Cirebon Regency BPBD.