Illegal logging may trigger flood in Indonesia: minister

A recent flash flood, which claimed almost 100 lives in Wasior, West Papua, was caused by illegal logging and territorial division, a senior Indonesian official said.

"There was a forest area which was then transformed into a city due to territorial division," Tempointeraktif.com on Friday quoted Indonesian Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan as saying.

"I had found 200,000 meters square of illegal logs during a recent work visit to Sorong, West Papua, the minister said here on Thursday after attending a Cabinet meeting

The Wasior flood, which started since last Sunday, has claimed 92 lives and injured 853 people so far, while 84 others are still missing, said the report.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the provincial chapter of Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) La Abidin said humanitarian workers were focusing on evacuation of the dead and medical care for survivors who had been sheltered at public facilities.

"The volunteers urgently need gloves, body bags and masks as many victims are still buried in the mud. The bodies have started to decompose," Abidin was quoted on Friday by the kompas.com.

Source: Xinhua