Jakarta flood claims three lives as alert level raised<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
At least three people are dead and three others missing after
\nfloods swept through Greater Jakarta on Friday after another
\novernight downpour.<\/p>\n
The number of evacuees also increased while subdistrict
\noffices began to set up temporary shelters for flood victims.<\/p>\n
Floods also forced at least 117 schools in Jakarta and 52 in
\nTangerang to close their doors on Friday.<\/p>\n
With many streets in the capital underwater, traffic was
\nbacked up around the city, including from Cawang in East Jakarta
\nto Grogol in West Jakarta and along the Tangerang toll road.<\/p>\n
Traffic on alternative routes forced Jakarta Police to close
\ndown some streets and to allow private cars to ignore the three-
\nin-one traffic policy from Blok M in South Jakarta to Kota in
\nWest Jakarta, and along Jl. Gatot Subroto from the Park Royal
\nApartment in the west to the Kuningan intersection in the east.<\/p>\n
The flooding forced Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso to declare the
\ncapital in Siaga 2 alert, the second highest state of alert,
\nmeaning officials are required to work in shifts to monitor
\ndevelopments.<\/p>\n
Andri, 17, a resident of Kedoya, West Jakarta, died after he
\nfell into the Pesanggrahan River on Friday at about 1 p.m. His
\nbody was recovered almost three hours later not far from where he
\nentered the swollen river.<\/p>\n
Agus Maruloh, 3, was electrocuted at his family's flooded
\nhouse in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, and Munah, 63, a Tangerang
\nresident, also died as a result of the flooding.<\/p>\n
In Sawangan, Depok, two 13-year-old boys, Donny and Reza, have
\nbeen missing since Thursday when they were swept away by strong
\ncurrents in the Angke River. On Wednesday, 16-year-old Muhammad
\nwent missing after being swept away in the Bekasi River.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Operation Coordination Board for Disaster Relief
\nrecorded an increase in the number of residents fleeing their
\nhomes.<\/p>\n
In Kebon Jeruk subdistrict, West Jakarta, the number of
\nevacuees increased to 2,650 on Friday from 2,500 the previous
\nday. In Tugu Selatan subdistrict, North Jakarta, 138 people are
\ntaking shelter at a nearby sports stadium. At least 3,116 people
\nare sheltering at a mosque in Kebayoran Baru subdistrict, South
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, water from the Ciliwung River
\ninundated 2,405 homes in five community units, forcing residents
\nto evacuate to schools, a church and temporary shelters set up by
\nconcerned organizations.<\/p>\n
Shanties along the river were also submerged by up to 270
\ncentimeters of water.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of residents, mostly women and children, are living
\nin a shelter set up at the St. Maria Church, while the men braved
\nthe high water to save their possessions.<\/p>\n
A medical center set up at the shelter reported that as of 3
\np.m. on Friday, about 500 people had been treated for skin
\nirritations and diarrhea.<\/p>\n
About 500 people are taking shelter at a railway station in
\nSemanan, West Jakarta, as water up to 200 centimeters in height
\nsubmerged homes in the area since Monday. Many of the people at
\nthe station complained they had not received any food or
\nmedicine, saying all the aid went to 600 evacuees at a nearby
\nmosque.<\/p>\n
During a visit to flood victims in Bukit Duri, Sutiyoso said
\nhis administration had allocated Rp 501 billion (US$59.6 million)
\nfor flood victims.<\/p>\n
\"If that is not enough, we can disburse some Rp 800 billion in
\nemergency funds from the city budget,\" he said, adding that the
\nmoney would be used to evacuate flood victims, set up public
\nkitchens and provide medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Social Welfare Agency head Syarifuddin Mahfudz said
\nhis agency had distributed over eight tons of rice, 30 boxes of
\ninstant noodles, 9,300 packaged meals, 208 blankets, eight tents,
\ntwo boxes of cooking oil and 15 kerosene lamps.<\/p>\n
Due to a lack of clean water, Jakarta Health Agency head A.
\nChalik Masulili warned citizens to anticipate possible outbreaks
\nof diarrhea, leptospirosis and skin irritations.<\/p>\n
In Tangerang, more housing complexes were inundated,
\nparticularly those located in the districts of Karawaci, Periuk
\nand Pinang.<\/p>\n
Although no residents have been forced to evacuate their
\nhouses, Tangerang Mayor Wahidin Halim ordered his officials to
\nremain on the alert to help flood victims.<\/p>\n
Related story and photo on page 8<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-flood-claims-three-lives-as-alert-level-raised-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }