Deadly floods, landslides hit West Java, Indonesia

At least 1 person was killed and 1 781 people affected by floods and landslides on April 7, 2018, in Bogor, Indonesia's West Java Province.

Heavy rainfall caused landslides and caused the Cisarua river to overflow in Sukamakmur district. At least three subdistricts in three separate districts were hit by the floods, with Sukawangi subdistrict in Sukamakmur suffering the worst as dozens of houses were swept away by the floodwater, Bogor Disaster Mitigation Agency secretary Budi Pranowo said, according to The Jakarta Post.

An elderly woman was killed when her rumah warung (combined stall and house) was swept away by the floodwater, and dozens of motorcycles and cars were swept away, Budi said.

"The road that connects Bogor and Cianjur (West Java) was damaged, hampering access to a number of villages affected by the floods," he added.

A flood and landslide hit Batu Kasur in Batu Layang, Cisarua, destroying a local bridge.

"The flood eroded the river cliff along the banks of the Cigamendung, and toppled dozens of trees," said Budi.

Dramaga Budi Suhardi of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said that the extreme weather was due to the transitional period between the wet and dry seasons.

According to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), flash floods also hit Ciacnjur city and Cianjur Regency, also West Java, on April 7. Initial news reports suggest hundreds of homes have suffered damage.

Images credit: BPBD Bogor

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