FLOODS IN INDRAGIRI HULU SPREAD OVER WIDER AREA

Pekanbaru, Riau, April 15 (ANTARA) - Floods which have hit six sub districts in Indragiri Hulu (Inhu) District, Riau Province, since Monday (April 13), have expanded to wider areas covering eight districts.

"The floods have expanded from six sub districts to eight sub districts," Head of the Indragiri Hulu social affairs office Adrian Zulfahmi, said here on Wednesday.
Previously, the floods affected the sub districts of Batang Cenaku, Batang Gangsal, Seberida, Kelayang, Peranap and Batang Peranap. The flooding currently also affected Sungai Lala and Pasir Penyu sub districts, he said.
The number of houses inundated also increased from 590 to 800 houses, he said.
The flooding was triggered by the overflowing of Indragiri and Cenaku rivers, he said.
The floodwaters reaching a height of up to 85 centimeters, also submerged at least 339 hectares of agricultural and plantation areas, and 20 fish ponds.
Numerous elementary and junior high school students were forced to stay home by floods in Bandar Padang and Beligan villages, Indragiri Hulu (Inhu) District, over the past three days.
Bandar Padang elementary school and Siberida junior high school were closed as the school buildings were inundated.
The floods also submerged a number of houses and roads.
"The floodwaters level reaches an adult's waist. Students are given holiday. Bandar Padang elementary school is submerged by the flood, therefor students cannot go to school up to now," Ameng, a local resident, said recently.
Kuala Cinaku River overflowed following incessant downpours over the past three days, he said. However, despite the floods, local residents decided not to flee their homes.
Meanwhile, two villages at Gunung Sahilan, Kampar District, Riau, were also flooded on Monday, forcing tens of local residents to flee to higher ground. The floods also submerged hundreds of hectares of rubber and oil palm plantations.