REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- As many as 1,637 families were displaced by flash floods that hit Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday due to incessant heavy rain.
Head of the Data and Information Center of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Saturday that continuous, torrential rainfall the last three days led to the flash floods in Sumbawa district.
"Low pressure near Australia caused a lot of air mass to be drawn to that region. As a result, East Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara experienced torrential rains the last three days," Nugroho stated in a broadcast message.
On Friday (February 20) night, flash floods hit the four villages of Labuan Jambu, Labuan Pidang, Banda and Batu Lanteh in Sumbawa, causing 1,637 families to flee.
The houses of dozens of residents were damaged, and three school buildings were inundated due to the floods.
Floodwaters also damaged Labuan River's dyke, breaking through the 40-meter-long embankment.
In addition, hundreds of hectares of rice fields in the region were inundated, while floodwaters blocked access to roads to the neighboring district and the ring road.
Personnel of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Sumbawa district have been on field in the affected areas to facilitate the evacuation of the residents, to gather data and to distribute logistics.
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