Tropical cyclone seeds that appeared in the waters of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) resulted in floods and landslides on Adonara Island, East Flores regency, in the early morning on Sunday (4/4/2021).
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KOMPAS TEAM
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SALEH KADIR UNTUK KOMPAS
Damage after flash floods in Waiburak Village, East Adonara District, East Flores Regency, NTT, Sunday 4/4/2021).
LARANTUKA, KOMPAS – Tropical cyclone seeds that appeared in the waters of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) resulted in floods and landslides on Adonara Island, East Flores regency, in the early morning on Sunday (4/4/2021). At least 45 people have been killed and 21 others are missing. Hundreds of people fled their houses, which were damaged by the floods, to safer locations.
The flash floods that devastated Adonara were the largest in the area. Local residents were asked to remain vigilant because the cyclone seeds could become tropical cyclones. The efforts to help victims were hampered by bad weather. A number of bridges were damaged and roads were cut off.
Nelelamadiken village in Ile Boleng district was the worst hit by the flash floods. Rescuers discovered the bodies of 40 people.
"As many as 25 people have been identified and 15 others have [yet to be] identified," Nelelamadiken village secretary Natalia Uba Arakian said when contacted on Sunday night.
A total of 14 villagers were still missing. The search was constrained by piles of debris, especially rocks. No heavy equipment was available at the site of the disaster to help clear the debris. "The search was carried out manually," said Natalia.
The flash floods followed heavy rainfall. Nelelamadiken village, which has a population of 1,246 people comprising 366 families, is located on Mount Ile Boleng. A dry riverbed runs through the middle of the village that fills with water during the rainy season.
Damage after flash floods in Waiburak Village, East Adonara District, East Flores Regency, NTT, Sunday 4/4/2021).
Early Sunday morning, floodwaters carried rock and soil along the riverbed and swept away around 30 houses on the banks.
Flash floods also affected hundreds of houses in the villages of Waiwerang and Waiburak in East Adonara district, 14 kilometers west of Nelelamadiken village. Waiwerang and Waiburak are separated by a dead river, the route by which the floodwaters traveled. The flood carried material from the mountains, located around 10 km away.
Saleh Kadir (32), a local disaster volunteer, said four bodies had been recovered while three others remained missing.
The residents of landslide hazard zones were asked to evacuate to a safe place. They sheltered at schools and a number of nearby village offices. The residents evacuated on their own, as the volunteer disaster team was focused on finding victims.
Around 18 km west of Waiwerang in Kewuko hamlet of Oyangbarang village, Wotan Ulu-Mado district, flash floods also destroyed dozens of houses. At least three people were swept away by the floodwaters. The hamlet is located in a lowland area that does not have a river. The flash floods descended from the hills to the north of the hamlet.
"Until [Sunday] night, no victims had been found. We searched all the way to the coast. The debris was so thick, it made the search extremely difficult,” said Oyangbarang village head Laurensius Lega Ama when contacted separately.
Kompas
Two tropical cyclone seeds grow in Indonesian waters. The 99S tropical cyclone seeds in the East Nusa Tenggara area have triggered flash floods and landslides in East Flores. This cyclone seed is predicted to strengthen into a tropical cyclone.
About 4 km east of Oyangbarang in Pandai village, the body of one resident was found about 5 km from his residence. Landslides and floods were also reported in a number of other villages in Adonara.
Thomas Bangke, the head of the NTT Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), said that landslides had buried at least 40 houses.
"There is no heavy equipment in the area. Heavy equipment should arrive by boat from Larantuka,” said Thomas, referring to the capital of East Flores. “However, at this time it is impossible to [transport the equipment] because of the high waves.”
Tropical cyclone seeds
Raditya Jati, who heads the Data, Information and Communication Center at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said in Jakarta on Sunday that the flash floods and landslides in Adonara were caused by heavy rainfall.
"The rain occurred following the emergence of the 99S tropical cyclone seed, as forecast by the BMKG [Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency]," he said.
BMKG Public Meteorology Center head Fachri Radjab said that the 99S tropical cyclone seed was forecast to form cyclones in the early morning on Monday. In addition to NTT, heavy rains and strong winds also hit areas of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and Southeast Maluku.
Floods and landslides also occurred in Bima regency, NTB, affecting at least 9,245 families comprising 27,808 people in 34 villages in the regency. Three people were reportedly killed during the disaster. (KOR/FRN/ETA/AIK/ZAK)
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
