Hundreds Of Residents' Houses In 3 Villages In Jember Were Flooded

Floods inundated residents' houses in Wonoasri Village, Tempurejo District, Jember Regency on Friday (29/11/2024). (ANTARA/VJ Hamka Agung Balya)

JEMBER - Hundreds of houses spread across three villages in Jember Regency, East Java were flooded due to heavy rains that flushed the local area for several hours.

"Three villages were affected by flooding with a height of 50 cm to 1 meter, namely Andongrejo, Curahnongko, and Wonoasri villages. The three are in Tempurejo District," said Head of the Jember Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Widodo Julianto as reported by ANTARA, Friday, November 29.

According to him, heavy rains that flushed on Thursday (28/11) afternoon at around 14.00 WIB to 19.00 WIB caused the water from the Curahnongko River to overflow, even at 23.00 WIB the rainfall was increasing.

"This condition causes hundreds of houses to be flooded with an average water level of 50 cm, even local village courtyards and roads flooded with a water level of 50 cm - 1 meter," he said.

He explained that the Jember BPBD Rapid Response Team (TRC) immediately evacuated vulnerable residents such as children, women, and elderly residents (elderly), but most of them had evacuated independently to safe places in several of their family's relatives' homes.

"We provide food and basic necessities because some of the houses affected by the flood can still cook, while residents' houses whose kitchens are flooded will be provided with ready-to-eat food assistance," he said.

Widodo said the Jember BPBD remained on standby in three flooded villages and some volunteers also accompanied residents affected by the disaster, if at any time residents needed help.

"We distribute logistical assistance for independent kitchens in Andongrejo Village and Curahnongko Village Hall in the form of food packages, side dishes, biscuits, and toddler packages, as well as blankets," he said.

BPBD Jember also alerted the evacuation post at the Wonoasri Village Hall if needed at any time because the flood had not subsided with a water level of about 30 cm to 1 meter.

Based on data from BPBD Jember, the number of residents affected by flooding in three villages in Tempurejo District was 298 families (KK) with 42 elderly and 19 toddlers.