A Villager Missing And Cows Evacuated In Aceh Flooding

Banda Aceh, Aceh, Dec 23 (Antara) - The Aceh Besar District`s floods have caused a villager to go missing and forced several hundreds of cows to be evacuated to safer areas, a government official said. The local farmers had initiated the evacuation of their cows to avoid the worsening floods as the Aceh River overflowed its bank, Head of Aceh Besar District`s Disaster Mitigation Agency Samsul Bahri said here Tuesday. The river`s overflow has flooded the local farmers` cattle ranches since Sunday, he said adding that a villager has also gone missing after being dragged by the river`s strong current. Heavy rains that have showered several villages in the district over the past few days do not only cause flooding but also landslides. Samsul Bahri, also the assistant Secretary of the Aceh Besar District Government, said the landslides hit three different areas in Alue Gintung Village, Seulimeum Subdistrict. "The Aceh River`s strong current has also crippled a traditional suspension bridge in Lampisang and Tanoh Abee areas," he said. This flooding has yet to force the villagers to flee their homes but the local farmers will likely suffer material losses because the floods have damaged their paddy fields, he said.