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| Brebes News - Flash flooding hits Bumiayu, Brebes, after heavy rain, killing one person and inundating villages as authorities and volunteers launch emergency respo |
BREBES, Indonesia – Flash flooding triggered by days of heavy rain has hit parts of Bumiayu district in Brebes regency, Central Java, inundating villages, damaging infrastructure and killing one resident, local authorities said.
The flooding followed intense rainfall between Saturday and Thursday (Nov. 8–13), which caused the Keruh River to overflow after sediment buildup altered its natural flow.
Villages affected
The Brebes Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) said three villages – Adisana, Penggarutan and Kalierang – were affected.
A total of 41 houses were inundated, impacting 134 residents, while a key road linking Adisana and Cilibur was cut off, disrupting transport and daily activities.
Clean water supplies were also affected after three water sources operated by the Tirta Baribis regional water company were damaged.
In Kalierang village, four elementary schools were forced to suspend operations after classrooms were flooded with mud.
BPBD confirmed that a 27-year-old man died after being electrocuted and swept away by floodwaters.
Emergency response
BPBD, supported by the Brebes regency government, deployed heavy machinery to dredge sediment, repair a breached embankment and restore the Keruh River to its original course in an effort to prevent further flooding.
“We have coordinated with multiple agencies. The damaged embankment has been sealed and the river flow redirected away from residential areas,” said Rismanto, emergency response coordinator at BPBD Brebes.
Two excavators remain on standby to reduce the risk of additional flooding.
Disruption to daily life
Residents said daily activities have been severely disrupted, particularly in Adisana village, where the Adisana–Dukuhweni road remains submerged, affecting at least 59 households.
Village officials said schoolchildren, traders and workers were forced to take longer alternative routes as the main access road was impassable.
Water levels in parts of Adisana reached between 20 and 50 centimetres, according to local volunteers.
Humanitarian assistance
The Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC) Brebes deployed 65 volunteers and set up a coordination post in Bumiayu to support emergency operations.
MDMC teams carried out damage assessments, evacuations, debris removal and logistics distribution in coordination with BPBD, the national disaster agency, firefighters and local authorities.
On Thursday, MDMC and Muhammadiyah-affiliated health facilities provided free medical services at three locations, assisting 210 residents. Volunteers also distributed 300 food aid packages and supplied clean water following the disruption of the local water network.
“We moved as quickly as possible because residents urgently needed help,” said Ria Utami, an MDMC volunteer.
Ongoing recovery
Local authorities said recovery efforts would continue as conditions stabilise, with a focus on restoring access roads, water supplies and public facilities.
The flooding highlights the vulnerability of southern Brebes to extreme rainfall and river sedimentation, particularly during the rainy season.