Bengkalis, Riau, June 7 (ANTARA) - A herd of wild elephants attacked Petani village, Mandau sub-district, Riau district of Bengkalis, damaging four houses over the weekend.
Several Petani villager told ANTARA here Monday that the elephants attacked their village on Saturday night and Sunday morning. One of the four houses was in serious damage.
These wild animals had also killed a local resident recently, they said.
The villagers, whose houses were damaged, took refuge to their relatives' houses and neighbors.
Budi, 40, one of the villagers whose house was damaged, said at least 25 families had taken refuge for security reasons.
"The elephants' anger has made us trauma. Some locals who take refuge leave their plantations behind," he said.
Dewi, another villager, urged local government to take concern actions to end the human-elephant conflict.
The conflict itself had not only caused the villagers to suffer material losses but had also threatened human life, the 34-year-old villager said.
"The conservation rangers have been trying to deal with these wild elephants but it is not easy to tame them. In fact, the elephants keep damaging our houses and farmings," she said.
In response to the ongoing conflict, Head of Petani Village Rianto said the related authorities were expected to provide the victims of elephants' anger with compensations.
"The expected compensations are paid for the villagers whose houses are damaged or those who get injured or die. We want the local government not to remain passive," he said.
The Workers of Riau province's natural conservation agency (BBKSDA) had planned to send a team to help tame the wild elephants, Head of Riau Province's BBKSDA, Hutomo, said.
"We are sending the team to Mandau sub-district," he said.
The attacks of wild elephants to Petani village had also occurred last March.
At that time, the animals destroyed three houses. While there were no fatalities, the wild elephants' attacks had caused local residents to panic and take refuge to safer places.
The wild elephants did not only destroy three houses but also damaged the villagers' crops.
