Pangkalpinang (Antara Babel) - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Bangka-Belitung (Babel) Province has deployed a helicopter to distribute aid and evacuate flood victims in Belitung Island.
A flash flood, triggered by incessant heavy rains since Saturday until early Sunday morning, inundated numerous villages in the districts of Belitung and East Belitung in Belitung Island on Sunday morning.
BPBD Chief Najamuddin remarked here on Monday that the helicopter was sent by the agency in Palembang, South Sumatra, to distribute humanitarian aid to East Belitung District and to evacuate the flood victims.
"Currently, we are facing difficulties in registering, evacuating, and distributing relief aid to the flood victims in East Belitung, as road access has been cut off," Najamuddin remarked.
Earlier, Belitung BPBD spokesman Abdul Sani had remarked in Belitung that until Sunday night, hundreds of houses in the two districts were still submerged under floodwaters.
According to Sani, the massive flash flood that hit East Belitung District, known as the district of Rainbow Warrior, on Sunday completely snapped road access to the district.
"Access to the district of Rainbow Warrior and the power grid are completely cut off," he revealed.
