Boats float when floods bloat<\/p>\n
Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post\/Jambi<\/p>\n
Siti, not yet five years old, looked at her grandmother, Ibu
\nNanang, 60, hoping she would be allowed to play in a small
\nrowboat tied up to their stilt house.<\/p>\n
Although many of her toddler friends were playing on their
\nboats that afternoon, her grandmother said no, and Siti's face
\nfell.<\/p>\n
The floodwaters could rise during high tide on the river in
\nthe morning and afternoon, and it would be dangerous for her,
\nNyai told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Nyai and the 200 other families of Pandan Island area in Legok
\nsubdistrict, Telanaipura district, about one kilometer from the
\nBatanghari River, all own rowboats.<\/p>\n
Each boat, measuring five meters by 75 centimeters, is secured
\nwith a padlock to prevent theft, because at a price of up to Rp
\n300,000 (US$35), they are a family asset.<\/p>\n
The boats are usually stored on the crossbeams under the
\nhouses.<\/p>\n
The floods usually come during these two months, and can rise
\nto a point 75 cm high on the two-meter stilts. In some places,
\nflood levels may even reach a meter high.<\/p>\n
\"We can only use our rowboats during the rainy season, when we
\nwould be confined to our houses without a boat,\" said Nyai.<\/p>\n
During the floods, motorcycles and bicycles cannot be parked
\nby the front steps, so they are parked at the homes of relatives
\nnot affected by the floods, or at private parking lots for Rp
\n3,000 a night.<\/p>\n
Boat taxis, which spring up during the floods, charge Rp 1,000
\nto ferry people home from the parking lots, and children take
\nthem to go to and from school. Many residents switch to providing
\nthe service when the rains come, working from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
\nand earning up to Rp 30,000 daily.<\/p>\n
Boats are also needed to go shopping for groceries at Angsoduo
\nMarket, which cannot be reached on foot when the river swells. It
\ntakes 15 minutes to reach the market by boat. During the dry
\nseason, vegetable vendors usually make their rounds in the
\nvillage with their carts.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, the boats are used to fetch water from the
\nriver for cooking and drinking. As for bathing, laundering and
\nwashing dishes, villagers make do with the water underneath their
\nhouses.<\/p>\n
Usman, 40, said only water from the Batanghari River could be
\nused for consumption. Other water sources in the area are not
\npotable because they are contaminated with garbage, and have a
\ndark color and smell bad.<\/p>\n
\"Getting clean water is difficult here. Not all of us can
\nafford water from the water company,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/boats-float-when-floods-bloat-1447893297",
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