Thousands of houses in North Labuhanbatu, North Sumatra, were flooded

Head of BPBD Labura Regency, North Sumatra, Abdi Yoso spoke with residents who wanted to save themselves from the floods that hit the area in Aekkopan, Thursday (3/11/2022). (PHOTO ANTARA/HO-BPBD Labura)

LABUHANBATU NORTH - Thousands of houses in several areas in North Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra, have been flooded due to the impact of heavy rains that have flushed the area since Wednesday, November 2 night.

"We are still busy evacuating residents, so detailed data on the number of flood victims are still being collected", said the Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the North Labuhanbatu Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPDB), Jamil Hasibuan, as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, November 3.

Several complexes and residential areas in Aekkanopan and Aekkanopan Timur sub-districts in the Kualuhhulu sub-district as well as in Ledongbarat village, Aekledong Asahan sub-district were submerged by floodwaters that reached waist heights of adults.

Even several schools in the Ledongbarat Village area were forced to send their students home because the water continued to rise. Among them are MIS Al Falah, MTs Al Halim and SMPN Aekledong.

Jamil Hasibuan stated that his party had not been able to record the number of flood victims that occurred in the two villages in the Kualuhhulu District.

The team that came down to evacuate came from various elements, including the Asahan BPBD.

"Many are involved in this evacuation such as the Civil Service Police Unit, Scouts, and the Department of Transportation", he said.

One of the residents, Siddik Nainggolan admitted that this flood was the biggest.

"As far as I remember, no one ever came to Mr. Nasution's house", said the 60-year-old man referring to one of the houses located at Simpang Sukaramai on the North Labuhanbatu-Asahan border.

The same thing was also mentioned by Dedek M Noor, a journalist whose house was also flooded.

"In the house, the water is up to the calf", said the man who lives not far from the tracks in the Padanggala-gala Street area of Ledongbarat.

Meanwhile, another resident named Anto said that at his house in the Tarutung Village area, Aekkanopan Village, he also felt the impact of the flood.

"The two motorbikes that were propped up (stand up) were not visible because the water was submerged in the house", he said.