Jakarta. The government has decided to extend the emergency period in the flood-hit Bima district of West Nusa Tenggara by a week on Thursday (05/01) as several public services have yet to be restored.

The emergency period was initially set to end on Thursday, two weeks after floodwaters inundated 30 villages in five subdistricts, which affected more than 100,000 residents.

There were nearly 1,000 residents remaining in nine evacuation shelters by Thursday, as health, education and other public facilities were still inaccessible, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"The extension of the emergency period is necessary for field teams to complete their work targets involving the environment, as well as education and health facilities," Sutopo said in a statement.

Last month's flooding damaged more than 60 health centers and 27 education facilities, while 230 homes were swept away, 716 heavily damaged, 739 moderately damaged and more than 17,700 submerged.