REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MATARAM -- Severe flooding in Bima District, West Nusa Tenggara Province, last month has damaged large areas of rice crops and plantations. Head of Crops and Horticulture Office of West Nusa Tenggara Husnul Fauzi stated here on Monday that according to the local authority the flooding had caused Rp34.4 billion worth of damage to local crops and horticulture plantations. "We have received a report of the estimated loss of the local farmers from the local administration of Bima," Fauzi said.

The flooding caused damage in four sub-districts in Bima District, namely Sape, Wawo, Wera and Ambalawi. The report showed that the floods affected 714.5 hectares of rice fields, causing Rp7.7 billion worth of damage; it also ruined 177.5 hectares of corn field, with the damage estimated at Rp3.35 billion. "The red shallot crop suffered the highest loss. The price of this commodity is good this time," Fauzi said, adding that 41.5 hectares of red shallot was damaged by the flood, causing losses worth Rp23.3 billion.

In Bima municipality, the flooding damaged agriculture land in five sub-districts. Recent official data showed that 725 hectares of rice fields were damaged in four sub-districts, namely Rasanae Timur, Raba, Mpunda, and Asakota. However, there was no report of crop damage from Rasanae Barat sub-district.

The maximum damage in terms of acreage was in Rasanae Timur sub-district, where 347 hectares of rice fields has been damaged. Fauzi said that all the rice, soybean, corn, and red shallot croplands in Bima District and Bima City were not insured.

Although the Ministry of Agriculture offers an insurance program to 40,000 hectares of cropland, the local administrations in the two regions had not listed their local crop and plantation areas in the government program, Fauzi said. The authority of West Nusa Tenggara has sent the report to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Flash floods hit Bima City on December 22-23, damaging buildings and forcing thousands of people to evacuate 17 neighborhoods in the city. Officials reported that 104,378 people fled their homes in Bima City.

The floods, triggered by the overflowing of two local rivers following heavy rains, prompted the closure of offices and schools in the city. According to officials, the floodwaters caused injuries to one person and destroyed public facilities, including four public health service posts, 28 auxiliary public health service posts, and an office.

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