Hundreds Of Houses In Jember Were Submerged By Floods

Residents passed around houses that were flooded in Bangsalsari District, Jember Regency, East Java, Friday (8/3/2024) afternoon. (ANTARA/VJ Hamka Agung Balya)

JEMBER - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Jember, East Java noted that hundreds of houses were flooded in two sub-districts due to heavy rains in the local area, Friday (8/3) afternoon until evening.

"The flood overflowed into residential areas and national roads with a water level of 60-100 cm and entered a resident's house with a water level of 20-50 cm," said Head of BPBD Jember Widodo Julianto as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, March 9.

He explained that the heavy rain for one hour in the area caused the overflow of the Banjarsari River in Paguan Hamlet, Petung Village, Bangsalsari District to inundate residents' settlements.

"The flood was also caused by overflowing rice fields and residential areas and drainage that were unable to accommodate the rainwater discharge," he said.

He explained that the floods submerged several villages in Bangsalsari District, namely Petung, Tisnombaram, Sukorejo, and Langkap villages with the total affected victims reaching 392 families (KK).

In Balung District, floods hit several hamlets in Curahle Village with 282 families affected.

The total number of those affected by the flood reached 674 families with one person injured on behalf of Hadi Wicaksono (45) because he was hit by a house wall that collapsed due to the disaster.

Joint officers also evacuated children and the elderly whose houses were flooded quite high because the river water discharge in the local area was quite heavy, so it was feared that the flood would overflow higher.

The flood that inundated the national road in Petung Village, Bangsalsari District, caused traffic jams of up to seven kilometers, both from Jember to Surabaya and vice versa. Some motorists choose to turn the vehicle around to find alternative roads.

"Currently, the national road inundated with water has receded and the traffic route is back to normal. Likewise, the flood conditions in Petung Village, Bangsalsari District have also receded," he said.

Floods in Langkap Village, Sukorejo, Tisnombaram in Bangsalsari District and Curah Lele Village, Balung District are still inundating residents' houses.