First Since 37 Years Ago, 6 Hours Of Extreme Rain Inundated Muara Teweh, Central Kalimantan

North Barito BPBD officers evacuated a number of residents affected by the flood in the area of Jalan Rear Bappeda Muara Teweh, Sunday (12/5/2024). (ANTARA/HO-BPBD North Barito)

JAKARTA - The six-hour extreme rain that hit the North Barito Regency, Central Kalimantan (Central Kalimantan) caused the Bengaris River from the Barito tributary to submerge the area in Muara Teweh.

"The extreme rainfall level that hit this area according to existing data has only occurred in the last 37 years," said Head of the Technical Team at the North Barito Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency Sunardi in Muara Teweh, Central Kalimantan, Sunday, May 12, as reported by Antara.

This extreme rain occurred on Saturday (11/5) from 23.02 WIB to Sunday (12/5) at 05.00 WIB in the morning.

"The level of rainfall within six hours is equivalent to rainfall in one month for normal conditions in this region," said Sunardi.

A number of residential areas and roads that were flooded Jalan Ronggolawe and the Mekar Indah Housing complex, Jalan Mountains Muller Muara Teweh and Jalan Rear Beppeda, which are the worst areas, were flooded about one meter and there were about tens of houses flooded.

"The flood this time is the worst compared to before, the flood has entered our house on Sunday morning at around 02.00 WIB," said a resident of Jalan Ronggolawe Tus Hariyadi.

According to him, the flood height this time was quite severe, but not long usually only about 5-6 hours, thus disrupting residents' activities, because most of the houses were submerged in water.

"Floods usually recede until the afternoon and this afternoon the floods began to recede, but still submerged the residents' houses," he said.

Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the North Barito Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Rizali Hadi, said that currently flooding in a number of roads is starting to recede, including parts of Jalan Sudirman, Jalan Akhmad Yani in front of SMP 1 Muara Teweh and in front of the Muara Teweh Central Statistics Agency.

Then Jalan Pendreh, namely in front of the Immanuel Church and in front of gas stations, Jalan Taman Recreasi Remaja Griya Asri Housing Complex and Jalan Bangau Alley Pond Pipit

"Our officers in the field had evacuated several residents, including a baby whose houses were flooded, in this flood there were no casualties," said Rizali.

In addition to flooding, a number of places in Muara Teweh also experienced landslides, one of which resulted in the ironwood construction bridge on Keladan Muara Teweh Street breaking so that local residents' activities were disrupted and residents' houses on Jalan Brigadier General Katamso were affected by landslides.