Jakarta crisis center ready to handle floods<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Operation Coordination Board (Satkorlak) for Disaster
\nMitigation is now fully prepared to handle floods in the capital,
\naccording to one agency worker.<\/p>\n
\"At least three of us will be on duty around the clock to
\nmonitor the situation and do field checks,\" said Arsudireni
\nRonny, an on-call task force monitor.<\/p>\n
The board -- chaired by Governor Sutiyoso himself and
\ncoordinated by the City Public Order Agency head Soebagio -- is
\nresponsible for handling natural disasters, particularly floods
\nthat annually cripple the capital.<\/p>\n
Ronny explained that the monitoring task force would be
\nresponsible for collecting information on the latest situation in
\nflood-prone areas and making full reports for further action and
\ncoordination.<\/p>\n
The task force monitors will make phone calls every two hours
\nto people manning the eight main sluice gates -- Pesanggrahan,
\nAngke Hulu and Krukut Hulu in West Jakarta, Sunter Hulu in North
\nJakarta, Karet in Central Jakarta, Manggarai in South Jakarta,
\nPulogadung in East Jakarta and Depok -- to gauge the water
\nlevels. They will also get regular updates on the high and low
\ntides in the Java Sea, which have a great impact on the ability
\nof the water to flow freely out sea.<\/p>\n
They also communicate regularly with the five municipality
\nadministrations to get the latest on flooded areas.<\/p>\n
\"If the telephone lines are down, we can use our two-band
\nradios,\" Ronny said, adding that the task force also monitors
\nradio stations and share information with Jakarta Police.<\/p>\n
A disaster mitigation expert from the Agency for the
\nAssessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) had earlier urged
\nthe administration to disseminate flood information via radio and
\ntelevision in the absence of a proper early warning system.<\/p>\n
The general public is also encouraged to make reports on
\nfloods to the center's 24-hour hotline number 382-2011.<\/p>\n
Ronny said that the task force, involving 40,000 people from
\nthe administration, police and different organizations, would be
\ndeployed to the flooded areas if all means of communication
\nfailed. The task force did rehearsals in Cengkareng, West
\nJakarta, last November.<\/p>\n
However, he had no knowledge of how the board would handle
\nsevere malfunctions in the capital, particularly primary
\ninfrastructure such as roads and power lines during a major
\ncalamity.<\/p>\n
The administration had earlier requested Rp 200 billion
\n(US$23.8 million) to set up a crisis center but the city budget
\nnow only calls for Rp 15 billion for the center.<\/p>\n
If there is an emergency, the city will use its 113 rubber
\ndinghies and the number can increase if the National Police and
\nthe Indonesian Military help by deploying their 19 and 105
\ndinghies, respectively. The administration has also designated
\nplaces for 242 public kitchens and refugee camps near flood-prone
\nareas.<\/p>\n
Most Jakartans strongly criticized city officials for their
\nlate and\/or lack of a response when the Great Jakarta Flood of
\n2002 hit, killing at least 30 people and forcing more than
\n300,000 to seek refuge.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-crisis-center-ready-to-handle-floods-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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