North Luwu Flood Submerges 36 Villages, BPBD: Increase Status To Disaster Emergency

Illustration of floods (ANTARA)

North LUWU - Flood disaster in North Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi, is increasingly widespread. Based on data from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of North Luwu Regency, at least 36 villages in 7 sub-districts had an impact so that many residents were forced to evacuate. BPBD has also raised the status of disaster emergency information.

The flood occurred due to heavy rains that have flushed the area since the last few days, resulting in three large rivers in North Luwu Regency overflowing, namely the Baliase River, Rongkong River and Lampawa River.

This hydrometeorological disaster affected around 26,157 people, besides that the flood this time also isolated four villages in North Luwu.

The head of Beringin Jaya Village, Alimuddin, said that it was suspected that the incident occurred due to the silting and overflowing of the Rongkong river, so that several embankment points broke.

"The overflow of the Rongkong river, resulting in several embankments breaking and floodwater entering residential areas, as a result, submerging several houses and other facilities, both schools and houses of worship," he said, Thursday, April 25.

The flood incident also forced most residents to evacuate due to high water, reaching more than one meter.

"The water level reaches approximately one meter, so some residents choose to evacuate in prayer rooms and relatives' houses," he continued.

He hopes that the government will be able to provide assistance which is currently being needed by the local community due to the flood incident.

"We hope that the local government will immediately reduce aid, be it clean water and logistics in the form of ready-to-eat food because almost all food stocks are flooded," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of the North Luwu Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency, Muslim Muktar, explained that there were seven sub-districts affected by the flood, namely Sabbang Selatan, Sabbang, Malangke, Malangke Barat, Baebunta Selatan, Sukamaju Selatan, and Mappideceng. Of the seven sub-districts, 36 villages were flooded and 26,157 residents were affected.

"This flood has entered its fourth day and has not subsided," he said.