THOUSANDS FLEE BOJONEGORO FLOODS, ONE KILLED

Bojonegoro, East Java, Feb. 27 (ANTARA) - Floods caused by the the overflowing of the Bengawan Solo river have driven thousands of Bojonegoro residents from their homes, and are reported to have claimed at least one life.

One dead body was found by a passerby on a flooded road at Simbatan village, Kanor sub district, Kanor Police Chief Adjunct Commissioner Susilo, said here on Friday.

The victim was identified as Sabin (80), a resident of Prigi village, Kanor. Sabin was believed to have been swept away by floodwaters.
Meanwhile, around 1,200 people from two villages at Dander sub district, have fled to safer areas, according to Bambang Sutrisno, Dander sub district head.

The flood victims decided to take refuge as the water level of Bengawan Solo floods continued to rise. Thousands of houses were invaded by floodwaters reaching a height of between 1 and 1.5 meters.

The evacuation with the help of two rubber boats started on Thursday , Sutrisno said.

"Today, the evacuation of the flood victims is still going on,' he said.

They were accommodated in emergency tents set up along the Bengawan Solo banks and alongside the Bojonegoro-Padangan road, said.

Residents of Kalitidu sub district, which was among the worst flood-affected areas, had also fled their homes to higher ground.

One rubber boat was made available to evacuate the flood victims, said Nurul Azizah, the Kalitidu sub district head.
The floods had affected 100 villages, including Sukorejo, Ngroworejo, and Karangpacar, in 14 sub districts in Bojonegoro District.

Some 23 elementary school buildings and one junior high school building were also flooded, preventing around 4,000 students from going to school.

Some villages at Parengan sub district, Tuban District, East Java, were also inundated, he said.

Roads connecting Bojonegoro and Jatirogo, Tuban, were submerged by the floodwaters reaching a height of an adult's knee.

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