Flood victims say life in temporary shelters miserable<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Stepping into a temporary shelter in the Grogol area, Jelambar
\nsubdistrict, West Jakarta, is a depressing experience for most.<\/p>\n
It is not surprising, however, as thousands of flood victims
\nhad no other option but to hole up at the shelters as their
\nhouses have been unlivable for the better part of three weeks.<\/p>\n
Floods have forced some Jakartans to return to their home
\nvillages in other provinces. Others complained about the
\nmiserable conditions at the shelters.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso announced a plan to deploy
\npsychologists to help with the stress that some are feeling, but
\nthe big issue is that the victims want their normal life back.<\/p>\n
\"Believe me, it's really a nightmare,\" said the 56-year-old
\nIbu Reni, an evacuee in Grogol.<\/p>\n
Reni, along with her daughter and granddaughter, have been at
\nthe shelter, which is only 1.5 kilometers away from their house,
\nsince the first day the floods hit the city on Jan. 28. The water
\nlevel peaked at 1.5 meters on Feb. 1.<\/p>\n
They managed to return home for three days when water began to
\nrecede. The whole family had cleaned up the mud from their house
\nand washed some housewares and clothes before the floods returned
\nagain last week.<\/p>\n
Consequently, they were forced to return to the shelter.<\/p>\n
\"It's very inconvenient here. We have to share everything with
\nother evacuees. I have to wait in line for meals or to bathe. I
\ncan't even have a private conversation with my own daughter as
\nthere are so many people around us,\" she grumbled.<\/p>\n
\"It's doubly annoying because my house is so near this
\nshelter,\" said Reni, whose favorite chair, TV and radio were
\nruined by the floodwater.<\/p>\n
Similar depression was also experienced by Juwi, an evacuee in
\nKampung Melayu, East Jakarta. He, along with his wife and his
\ntwo-year-old son, moved to the shelter after the water reached
\ntwo meters and submerged their house.<\/p>\n
\"Nobody ever wants to be an evacuee, especially in your own
\nneighborhood. Everybody wants their normal life back. I've been
\nhere for more than 15 days and I haven't had a good night's sleep
\nonce,\" complained Juwi, who used to work as a mechanic in a small
\nmotorcycle garage.<\/p>\n
He said he couldn't go home sooner, like some of his
\nneighbors, because his house was severely damaged.<\/p>\n
The inadequate facilities at the centers did not only cause
\ninconvenience for the evacuees. It also caused post-flood
\ndiseases for children like influenza, diarrhea and fever.<\/p>\n
The condition is worsened due to the large amount of
\nuncollected garbage inside the shelters where everyone sleeps.<\/p>\n
However, many insist upon staying at the shelters as their
\nhouses were damaged by the floodwater. Some are able to repair
\ntheir houses but others are not.<\/p>\n
The administration announced earlier that it would give Rp
\n200,000 to each poor resident with a damaged house. However, it
\nis still unclear when the administration intended to disburse the
\nfunds to the victims and who would be defined as a poor resident.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/flood-victims-say-life-in-temporary-shelters-miserable-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}