Indonesia floods displace over 34,000 people

Aceh: Floods in Indonesia's Aceh and West Java areas since Thursday have displaced 34,642 people, an official said Tuesday. In Tamiang district of Aceh in the northern tip of Sumatra island, about 2,370 houses were submerged in floods, which forced some 28,000 people to take shelter in makeshift tents and buildings at a higher ground, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of Indonesia's national disaster management agency told Xinhua over phone.

In West Java, the waters of the Citarum river had receded, but over 5,000 houses were still inundated Tuesday, said Sutopo, adding that 6,642 people remained in shelters. Local disaster management officials, along with police personnel and soldiers, have distributed food, medicines and other items of basic need to the displaced, but more relief supplies were needed, said Sutopo.   

A landslide, Dec 12, in Java had claimed 95 lives and left 13 people missing. Indonesia is frequently struck by floods and landslides as a result of heavy downpours.