Madura Poros Road Paralyzed

Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta

Residents try to penetrate the overflow of the Kemuning River on Jalan Panglima Sudirman which is the main route from Bangkalan-Sumenep in Sampang Regency, East Java, on Sunday (28/2/2016).

Rain has paralyzed the Madura axis road between Bangkalan and Sampang, East Java. The local administration has warned residents to watch for hydrometeorological disasters.

SURABAYA, KOMPAS — High rainfall has caused the river to overflow, thus paralyzing the economic activities of Madura Island, especially in Bangkalan and Sampang, East Java, in the last two days. The main road connecting the two regencies could not be used because it was flooded.

According to Bangkalan Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Rizal Morris, who was contacted from Surabaya on Friday (11/12/2020), the floods inundated 10 hamlets in Buduran, Plakaran and Arosbaya villages, Arosbaya district and 12 hamlets in Blega village.

Also read: When Flash Floods Take Lives

Rizal said that the river had been overflowing due to rain since Wednesday (9/11) in the Kokop and Geger hills, which border Arosbaya and Blega. The Arosbaya-Blega flood nearly reached 1 meter, including the regency-connecting road on Madura Island in Blega.

Floods hit Karang Dalam, Dalpenang, Polagan, Banyuanyar, Gunung Sekar, Rontengah, Pangelen and Banyumas in Sampang as well as part of the Jrengik.

Separately, Sampang regency BPBD chief executive Anang Joenaidi said the Sampung urban area also flooded as the Kalikamuning River overflowed. Floods hit Karang Dalam, Dalpenang, Polagan, Banyuanyar, Gunung Sekar, Rontengah, Pangelen and Banyumas in Sampang as well as part of the Jrengik.

Traffic flow was then redirected through the northern route, passing Banyuates, Tanjung Bumi and Bangkalan, in order to avoid the floods on Sampang and Blega roads. Military District Commander 0828/Sampang Lieutenant Colonel (Arm) Mulya Yasser Kalsum had deployed military personnel for flood management in the urban areas, namely to help clean silt and rescue the people’s property.

Cleaning was carried out after the floods receded so that the main Sampang-Bangkalan route could be used again for travel.

Also read: Tackling Floods Together

Within the next week, Bangkalan and Sampang residents must remain vigilant, because according to Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) official Juanga, it is predicted that rainfall will only increase. Highly intensive rainfall has coincided with the dynamics of an unstable atmosphere and the active phenomenon of waves that give rise to wind eddies in several areas.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Flood conditions on Jalan Panglima Sudirman, Dalpenang Village, Sampang District, Sampang Regency, East Java, Monday (12/3/2018).

In response to the BMKG’s warning, Bangkalan Regent Abdul Latif Amin Imron also asked Bangkalan residents to stay cautious over upcoming rainfall. “Disasters can come at anytime and anywhere. Residents need to be diligent in monitoring the BMKG for weather information,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Banyumas regency, Central Java, land shifts have threatened 10 houses in RT 006/RW 006 Dusun Semaya, Sunyalangu village, Karanglewas district. The land in the yards of the residents’ houses had subsided by 1-2 meters.

“I worry about sleeping at home at night, especially now that I’m older. I can’t sleep well because I am afraid of something,” said Semaya resident Sutinah (50).

Apart from Sutinah, the walls of Fatimah’s (46) house have also cracked. “The land began moving in 2017, but it worsened after the flash floods in the Logawa River last month. Last night, although it didn’t rain, there was a rockslide. We were terrified,” said Fatimah.

Also read: Reinforcing Disaster Management Policies

Contacted separately, Banyumas BPBD head Titi Puji Astuti said that a team was still checking on the location. Previously, landslides have occurred in Banyumas, including in Simpiuh on Tuesday (17/11). Four people in one family died as a result of the landslides, which was caused by the hilly land contour and heavy rain in Banjarpanepen village.

KOMPAS/WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Several trucks crossed the floods in Kemranjen, Banyumas, Central Java, Tuesday (17/11/2020).

Abrasion in Riau Islands

Abrasion continues to erode Mensemut Island in Senayang district, Lingga regency, Riau Islands. The 3-hectare island, inhabited by 15 families of the Laut tribe, may disappear entirely if the abrasion is not mitigated.

Kajang Foundation head Densy Fluzianti said that abrasion occurred during the seasons when the waves were high or when the Northern winds arrived between November-February.

Also read: Climate Crisis and Jakarta Flood

“This year had been very bad. Abrasion had eroded soil up to 30 meters from the shoreline. Currently, sea water is already beginning to touch the poles of the residents’ stilt houses,” said Dency, when contacted from Batam.(ETA/BRO/DKA/DIT/NDU)