Indonesia is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to natural disasters, but even though fewer people are dying from disasters, the economic toll is growing.

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

Conservationists in Padang, West Sumatra, have blamed forest concession holders (HPH) and timber exploitation permits (IPK) on, for the worsening floods on Siberut, one of the Mentawai Islands.

From April 5, floods covered five districts on the island for five days. It was the worst flooding ever seen on Siberut. Eleven homes were swept away or severely damaged. Three elementary schools, two community health clinics and more than 1,000 homes were swamped by up to 3 meters deep water.

Thousands in Demak and Kudus regencies in Central Java have fled after their homes were inundated by floods 1.5 meters deep.

The floods were attributed to problems with the Wulan River Dam and damage to the Sungai Welahan Drain 1 Dam in Kudus.

"We have prepared two locations that could harbor up to 5000 refugees,” Kudus Disaster Mitigation Agency officers Noor Kasiyan said on Thursday.

In Demak, 10,000 residents have taken to higher ground. The flood has cut off the road connecting Demak and Jepara, forcing vehicles to take lengthy detours.

Heavy rains caused floods and landslides in South Sulawesi province on 08 April. BNPB reports 1,000 houses flooded in six villages and roads blocked.

Strong winds and heavy rains hit Central Java on 09 April. As of 10 April, BNPB reports 300 houses severely damaged in Wonosobo regency. In Demak regency, 20 houses were damaged. The report also mentions two dead and six injured from a landslide in Kendal district.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Floods and landslides killed 20 people in North Sulawesi in February. About 4,220 houses were damaged, 3,832 people were temporarily displaced.

• Floods killed three people and temporarily displaced around 9,923 persons in Riau in February.

• Floods killed three people and displaced around 1,145 families from six sub-districts Jayapura District, Papua in March.

• Communities affected by disasters continue to receive support from three HRF-funding projects.

By Kanis Dursin

Last October, at the beginning of Indonesia’s rainy season, a 37-year-old farmer named Herinurdin took a leap of faith. Instead of planting corn in his entire 1.3-hectare rainfed farm in the Sukabumi town of West Java, as his family had done for generations, he sowed 1,600 square metres worth of rice instead.

In November he ploughed another 700 square metres and by December he had seeded the remainder of his land in this densely populated province, some 120 kilometres south of the capital Jakarta.

Dozens of houses were damaged following a landslide that was caused by heavy rain in Bogor regency, West Java, on Monday at 2 a.m., kompas.com reported.

Spokesperson for the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BNPB),Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said 93 residents of Situ Daun village were displaced in the disaster. The landslide destroyed 18 houses, lightly damaged six houses and a prayer hall as well as a posing threat to 10 other houses.

The Jakarta Post | The Archipelago | Mon, March 18 2013, 10:23 AM

JAYAPURA: Three siblings were found dead and another individual sustained injuries after being buried in a house in the Immanuel APO church complex in Jayapura Utara, Jayapura, Papua, following a landslide caused by heavy rain on Saturday.

By Indonesia correspondent George Roberts

Indonesian authorities say more than 16,000 people have been affected by flooding in the capital Jakarta.

The water came up overnight after heavy rains in Jakarta and upstream in Bogor, swamping areas of the capital that had only just recovered from January's major flood.

Nearly 6,000 homes have been affected this time, with water up to 2.5 metres deep in some areas.

Indonesia's National Disaster Management Centre says the flood has now subsided in most parts.