Marines and frogmen deployed to deal with flooding in HST

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - A total of 80 marines and eleven members of the frog squad were deployed to help with flood mitigation in Central Hulu Sungai (HST), especially for hard-to-reach areas.

Acting Head of South Kalimantan Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Mujiyat said especially in HST flood handling is very fast, even now some areas that previously were isolated can be reached again.

"Almost all affected areas in HST, which previously could not be reached by volunteers, are open today, only one left namely Hantakan Sub-district, and effort still being made," he said.

Related news: President's aid reaches isolated flood-hit areas
Related news: HST flood: 8 die, 8 thousand fled, 68 thousand affected

The acceleration of handling happened, because of assistance from the Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto in the form of 54 rubber boats which were directly controlled by marines and frog squad.

"As soon as the troop arrived at the location, the handling of floods victims, especially those previously inaccessible, become very fast, thus assistance giving to the victims are quick," he said.

In addition, almost all neighboring districts, such as Tabalong and others, came to help with volunteers.

The Government of East Barito, Central Kalimantan, had even come with the full force of volunteers and equipment, including an excavator to open up the closed routes.

HST Regent H A Chairansyah said the data recorded eight people died, eight thousand took refuge, and 68 thousand people affected. The floods also caused more than 16 thousand houses in 10 sub-districts were flooded.

The worst were in Hantakan and Barabai Sub-districts. In Hantakan the flash flood had destroyed hundreds of residents' homes, while in Barabai it had paralyzed the capital because all public facilities were submerged.

Related news: Severe flooding submerges most of S Kalimantan, road cut off