Kendari, SE Sulawesi (ANTARA) - Floods have submerged thousands of homes in 49 villages, 16 sub-districts in Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province, following incessant heavy rains over the past one week.
Floodwaters reaching a height of up to 120 cm, affected a total of 2,719 households comprising 8,314 people, Herianto Pagala, head of the Konawe disaster mitigation office (BPBD), said here on Saturday.
"Today, 49 villages in 16 sub-districts are flooded, affecting 2,719 households comprising, 8,314 people, Flooding has also displaced 1,154 families," he said.
They took refuge in village halls, roadside emergency shelters, and school buildings, among other things.
Among the worst hit villages were Laloika, Ambulanu, and Wonua Monapa in Pondidaha Sub-district, and Waworaha Village in Lambuya Sub-district.
The floods cut off several main roads, and isolated two villages, namely Aleuti Village having a population of 23 families in Padangguni Sub-district, and Lalomerui Village having 92 households in Routa Sub-district.
The 16 flood-affected sub-districts were Pondidaha, Wonggeduku, Lambuya, North Tongauna, Abuki, Bondoala, Puriala, Tongauna, Padangguni, Anggaberi, Roauta, Anggotoa, Kapoiala, Sampara, Amonggedo, and Wawotobi.
Floods in Konawe also submerged houses of worship, rice fields, cacao and other horticultural crop plantations covering tens of hectares, such as in Sulemandara, Ambulaanu, Dawi-dawi, Langgonawe, Bendewutu, and Puusangi villages.
The Pondidaha Community Health Center (Puskesmans) provided free medical check up services to displaced people in their temporary shelters.
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