Malang Sub-District Areas Declared Under Emergency Of Nataural Disasters

Malang, E Java, Dec 16 (Antara) - The authorities have warned 8 of 33 sub-district areas in the district of Malang, East Java, of natural disasters to follow the rainy season. The eight sub-districts are facing possible flooding, landslides and strong winds, the Regional Disaster Control Agency (BPBD) said here on Tuesday. The warning came after rain-triggered landslides hit Banjarnegara in Central Java leaving more than 50 villagers dead with as many more people missing feared dead buried under the piles of earth. Head of the Malang BPBD Hafie Lutfi said Regent Rendra Kresna already issued a letter declaring the sub-districts under a situation of emergency of flooding, landslides and wirlwinds. "In a bid to forestall the natural disasters, we have formed a rescue team made up of 300 persons from various agencies including BPBD, Red Cross, the military and police and other volunteers," Hafie said. BPBD also has made available means of transport for evacuation of people in the event of disasters. A command post has been set up in each of the 8 sub-districts to monitor the situation and coordinate rescue work. "Heavy rain and strong winds already damaged a number of houses in the sub-districts of Wajak and Dampit, though not very serious," Hafie said. The eight sub-districts are Pujon, Kasembon, Ngantang, Wumbermanjing Wetan, Tajinan, Ampelgading, Wajak, and Tirtoyudo. Early this year eruption of Mount Kelud left a scene of disaster in three sub-districts in the regency of Malang including Kasembon, Pujon and Ngantang. The hardest hit was the sub-district of Ngantang where hundreds of houses were leveled to the ground with farmlands including livestock farms destroyed.