Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Cibatu village in Karawang, West Java, were alarmed Friday night by rats invasion into their neighborhood, prompting a wave of viral social media posts documenting the unusual phenomenon. Videos shared online show dozens of rats scurrying through streets, clinging to fences, and even filling residents’ bathrooms.
Police Chief Hasanudin of the Tirtajaya District, confirmed that hundreds of rats were seen swarming in the area. “The rats appeared out of nowhere and in massive numbers,” Hasanudin said on Saturday, October 26.
According to him, the rats didn’t just overrun public spaces but also infiltrated homes, leaving residents scrambling to drive them out into nearby rice fields.
Residents expressed confusion about the sudden invasion, which led officials to turn to the Karawang Agriculture and Food Security Agency (DPKP) for assistance. “The rats seem to have moved toward the fields,” Hasanudin said, “and we hope they won’t return.”
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Rochman, head of the DPKP, reported that officials had been dispatched to investigate and address the issue of rats invasion in Kutamakmur Village, near Cibatu. Surprisingly, he said, local rice paddies showed no signs of crop damage typically associated with rat infestations. Rochman speculated that the sudden heavy rains over the past two days may have flooded the rats’ underground burrows, forcing them to seek higher ground.
“From our inspection, we believe weather was likely a factor,” Rochman explained. “Persistent rain likely drove the rats to escape flooded tunnels.”
The DPKP is now coordinating with the West Java Crop and Horticulture Agency and the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture to better understand the cause of this unusual rat surge. Rochman stated that farmers are being encouraged to join a collective effort, led by DPKP officials, to eliminate rat burrows in their fields.
“We’ve advised farmers to act promptly in sealing any rat burrows,” Rochman said. He also urged residents to avoid jumping to conclusions about the origins of the infestation, emphasizing that all necessary measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence.
(Raidi/Agung)
