Early warning system must work, governor says<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso ordered on Friday that all relevant officials
\nin his administration to make final checks on early warning flood
\nsystems to ensure they work well.<\/p>\n
He stressed that an efficient early warning system was
\nimportant to minimize residents' financial losses.<\/p>\n
In the early warning system, the Public Works Agency is tasked
\nwith monitoring water levels in major rivers. Meanwhile, the
\nCrisis Center is tasked with informing relevant officials about
\nthe water levels, including subdistrict heads.<\/p>\n
The subdistrict heads play a key role in the system because it
\nis their job to inform residents if their areas will be
\ninundated.<\/p>\n
"Early warnings must reach residents. All officials must be
\nready to carry out their respective work. We must learn from the
\n2002 floods," said Sutiyoso, referring to the floods in which
\nmore than 30 people died and 300,000 people were displaced.<\/p>\n
He threatened to punish officials who neglect their jobs.<\/p>\n
According to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG), the
\npeak of the rainy season is between January and February. But
\nthere has been no significant downpours to date.<\/p>\n
Sutiyono said there was no reason for Jakartans to experience
\nfloods that cause huge material losses.<\/p>\n
"We have anticipated the rainy season for a long time. There
\nis no reason not to be ready to minimize losses," said Sutiyoso
\nwhen inspecting preparations for floods in Semanan subdistrict,
\nWest Jakarta, on Friday.<\/p>\n
Semanan is one of Jakarta's 78 flood-prone areas.<\/p>\n
During early 2002 flood, thousands of houses were inundated in
\nSemanan, with floodwater two meters deep in some parts.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso reiterated that the city administration would not be
\nable to eliminate annual flooding until it had completed the East
\nFlood Canal, which is expected to accommodate runoff from rivers
\nin eastern Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The East Flood Canal is expected to be finished in 2007.<\/p>\n
The city currently has only one flood canal -- the West Flood
\nCanal -- but its capacity to accommodate water is continually
\ndeclining due to sedimentation in the upper areas.<\/p>\n
Huge floods in the city like in 1996 and 2002 were caused by
\nheavy rain both in Jakarta and its upper areas -- Bogor and Depok
\n-- as well as a high tide in the northern sea.<\/p>\n
Given ample warning, Jakartans should be able to rescue their
\nbelongings to avoid financial losses because floodwater from
\nBogor, for example, takes around eight hours to reach Jakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/early-warning-system-must-work-governor-says-1447893297",
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