HST's tourist attractions hit by flash flood

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - A number of tourist objects that utilize the Benawa River in Central Hulu Sungai (HST) Regency, South Kalimantan, were hit by flash flood (locally known as baah tampuh), Saturday.

Information from Hami Maulidia and Husnul, two Batu Benawa residents, the flooding occurred after Incessant heavy rains all night long in the upstream area of Hantakan Sub-district.

"There is no report of casualties, however, a number of tourist attractions were in a mess, some facilities were damaged," said Dia (Maulidia), a vocational high school (SMK) student, and Unul (Husnul) who studies at the University of Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) Banjarmasin.

"Flood several years ago washed away houses in Hantakan," continued the two girls, who are in one family.

Some of the tourist attractions along the catchment area (DAS) of Benawa River that were hit by the flood included Pulau Mas, Manggasang, and Pulau Lampam.

These tourist spots had been empty of visitors due to coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak, but in the last three months, they have begun to be crowded again, by implementing health protocol.

The flood still occurred when this news was written at 12.30 p.m. but did not spill beyond the river surface, because the rain had subsided, except in downstream areas such as Barabai (the capital of HST, 165 kilometers north of Banjarmasin).