Hundreds of homes in Bangkinang Barat subdistrict, Kampar regency, Riau, had been inundated after the floodgate of the hydro-power plant PLTA Koto Panjang was opened, ANTARA reported. "The flood is caused by the overflowing Kampar river as the result of opening the PLTA Koto Panjang dam floodgate," Burhan (54), a Rumbio villager said when contacted from Pekanbaru Sunday. He said the flood occurred since the small hours of Sunday shortly after PLN running the power plant in the area opened the Koto Panjang floodgate on Saturday (Dec 12) at 11 p.m. local time. Hundreds of house were flooded, with the flood waters reaching knee high, disrupting their routine activities. "The villagers had not decided to evacuate, but have asked PLN to do something, because the flood occurred every year," he said. PLN overseeing Riau and Riau Islands said that they had to open the sluice PLTA Koto Panjang dam sluice because the water debit surpassed its limit. "The normal level of the water debit of PLTA Koto Panjang is 80 meters, and more than that may break the embankment," PLN spokesman for Riau and Riau Islands Suwandi Siregar said. He explained that the water of the dam was supposed to be emptied in stages, instead of all at the same time, especially in a situation in which the Kampar river was overflowing following heavy incessant rains in the last few weeks. In a single year, he added, there were at least two months in which the water in the dam of PLTA Koto Panjang which produced 114 megawatts (MW) of electric energy which flowed to Riau exceeded embankment capacity.
