TEMPO.CO, Lombok -Kuta Mandalika The area was flooded on Tuesday afternoon March 22, just two days after the Mandalika MotoGP 2022 on Sunday.

Kuta village chief Mirata said the flooding happened around 5:00 p.m. Central Indonesia Time (WITA) after long heavy rains from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. WITA.

“Hundreds of homes were submerged,” Mirata said today, Wednesday March 23.

He pointed out that four hamlets were affected by meter-high floods, namely Mong, Emate, Merendeng and Batu Riti.

Besides the high-intensity rainfall, he believed that the flooding was also attributable to the conversion of hill lands and protected forests in the region, including Bukit Lenser and Mong, to cornfields and Mandalika Circuit.

The narrowing of river flows and irrigation canals were also considered to be the cause of the floods.

Mirata explained that the flood waters had receded Tuesday evening still a puddle of mud still covered the village of Kuta Mandalika. West Nusa Tenggara or NTB Governor Zulkiflimansyah had visited the flooded areas. “Heavy equipment was mobilized to lift the pile of mud,” he added.

Read: Jokowi congratulates all parties on successful MotoGP Mandalika

ABDUL LATIEF APRIAMAN (CONTRIBUTOR)