Presiden Jokowi Temui Korban Banjir Bandang NTT
New Cyclone Barrels Toward Disaster-struck Indonesia
Editor : Kemal A Praghotsa
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
TOPAN baru akan melanda Indonesia dan mengancam lebih banyak banjir dan tanah longsor, yang dirilis oleh Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika Indonesia [BMKG] karena badai yang menewaskan lebih dari 200 orang, termasuk korban di negara tetangga Timor Leste.
Topan tropis Odette menyebabkan hujan lebat di Sumatera Selatan dan bagian lain negara itu termasuk Jawa Tengah dan pulau Bali.
Meski badai baru itu diperkirakan tidak akan merusak seperti topan Seroja, yang melanda Nusa Tenggara Timur minggu ini. BMKG menyatakan berpotensi menimbulkan kerusakan serius.
"Semua orang harus waspada terhadap potensi angin kencang dan hujan lebat, serta banjir dan tanah longsor," kata Kepala BMKG Dwikorita Karnawati.
Topan Seroja, salah satu badai paling kuat yang melanda wilayah itu selama bertahun-tahun, mengubah desa kecil menjadi tanah lumpur, menumbangkan pohon dan mengirim sekitar 10.000 orang ke tempat pengungsian.
Ancaman badai baru datang ketika Presiden RI Joko Widodo tiba di pulau Lembata, Jumat [09/04].
"Saya ingin menyampaikan belasungkawa yang sebesar-besarnya kepada para korban," kata Jokowi.
Kunjungannya dilakukan saat jumlah korban tewas akibat bencana banjir bandang dan tanah longsor kembali meningkat seperti dikutip AFP yang dilansir MailOnline.
"Saya berharap jiwa mereka akan diterima oleh Tuhan," kata Jokowi.
Setidaknya 165 orang telah terdaftar sebagai tewas di Indonesia.
NEW CYCLONE was barrelling toward Indonesia and threatened to spark more floods and landslides, authorities warned Friday, as the archipelago reeled from a storm that killed more than 200 people, including victims in neighbouring East Timor.
Tropical cyclone Odette was set to dump torrential rains on south Sumatra and other parts of the country including central Java and holiday island Bali.
While the new storm was not expected to be as destructive as cyclone Seroja, which pounded eastern Indonesia this week, the national weather agency said it had the potential to do serious damage.
"Everybody should remain alert for the potential of strong winds and heavy rains... as well as floods and landslides," said weather agency head Dwikorita Karnawati.
Cyclone Seroja, one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in years, turned small communities into wastelands of mud and uprooted trees, sending thousands fleeing to shelters amid widespread blackouts.
The threat of a new storm came as President Joko Widodo arrived in hard-hit Lembata island Friday.
"I would like to express deepest condolences to the victims," the leader, better known as Jokowi, said from the disaster zone.
"I hope their souls will be accepted by God."
His visit came as the death toll from the floods-and-landslide disaster rose again.
At least 165 people have been listed as dead in Indonesia.
