FLASH FLOODS INUNDATE TWO SUBDISTRICTS IN TRENGGALEK REGENCY

Trenggalek, May 24 (ANTARA) - Heavy rains on some areas in Trenggalek regency, East Java, triggered flash floods inundating hundreds of houses in Kampak and Gandusari subdistricts.

The disaster struck on Sunday (May 23) at 6 pm local time until Monday morning. In the beginning, the overflow of river Tawing flooded only a number of villages in Kampak subdistrict.

But as it was raining constantly in the area until the small hours, the flooding increased and became increasingly difficult to control.

"We receiced the report only at 9 pm, when the floods still hit Kampak, but later spread to Gandusari," head of disaster handling of Trenggalek regency administration Maryono said.

There were no reports on fatalities, but the flash floods which struck the two subdistricts had caused a great deal of material loss and damage.

The impact of the floods was strongest on people engaged in agriculture, plantations, and small and medium handicraft industry.

But now several inundations had started to recede, but the overflow of river Tawing and some hilly areas in Kampak and Munjungan subdistricts was still moving toward the low-lying villages.

"Normally, the flood waters are flowing to river Bendo in the border region of Gandusari and Pogalan subdistricts. On arrival at river Bendo, the flood waters from Kampak and Gandusari will flow to the Niama dam in Tulungagung regency," he said.

Besides inundating hundreds of houses, farmland and plantations, the heavy downpours since Sunday (May 23) afternoon to the small hours of Monday also triggered landslides on the Kampak-Munjungan road.

The main access to the extreme south of Trenggalek regency is not totally cut off by landslides.

He said the current flash floods were worse than the floods which struck on May 5. Although nobody was killed, the flood waters and inundated areas were wider with concentrations in densely populated areas.

"Fortunately, the the flood waters did not come too suddenly. We and the people of Gandusari continued coordination with Kampak villagers before the flood waters from river Tawing reached the settlement out here," he said.