Aid flowing to Indonesia's floods, landslide-hit areas
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E-mail Xinhua, May 1, 2019
JAKARTA, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Food, medicine and clothes among other relieve materials have been channeled to thousands of victims hit by floods and landslides in Indonesia's western Bengkulu province, disaster agency officials said on Wednesday.
Over 13,000 residents have been affected after torrential rains lashed the province on Sumatra Island, swelling rivers that burst their banks and submerging nine districts, head of communication and information of the provincial disaster agency Abdul Rohman said.
Nearly 200 houses and scores of roads, bridges and water channels were damaged, he added.
Although access to the disaster area has been disrupted, the emergency relief aid has been distributed to the victims.
"Foods, drugs, clothes and other basic necessities have been channeled to each disaster-hit area," Rohman told Xinhua.
Five field hospitals have been established across the province to serve those who were injured or fell ill, he said.
The official said fast food, medicine, clean water, baby food and bailey bridges were among the dire needs.
The number of evacuees reached 12,000 across the province, according to Rohman.
The disaster has destroyed transport facilities and cut off electricity which has hampered communication and distribution of aid in the affected areas, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua.
Soldiers and police have joined personnel from the disaster agency and search and rescue office and non-governmental organizations as well as volunteers in the emergency relief efforts, said Rohman.
The official said a total of 29 people were killed and 28 others went missing as search for the missing people continued.
"The missing people were thought to be caught in landslides or swept away by the floods," he said.
Head of communication for media of national search and rescue office Yusuf Latief said that rescuers equipped by rubber boats and dinghies have been searching for the missing.
Indonesia has been frequently stricken by floods and landslides triggered by heavy downpours. Enditem
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