Jakarta remains on alert for floods<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As water levels at several sluice gates in Greater Jakarta
\nreturned to normal on Monday, Governor Sutiyoso downgraded the
\nalert level.<\/p>\n
However, officials from the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency
\nurged residents to remain vigilant as they forecast heavy rain
\nall night on Tuesday and Wednesday.<\/p>\n
An official at the City Public Works Agency said that his team
\nhad kept water levels at the sluices low by continuously pumping
\nout reservoirs.<\/p>\n
\"To double our efforts, we also dredged the reservoirs to
\nenable them to accommodate river overflows,\" Maman Suparman
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
He added that his team had finished dredging Setiabudi
\nreservoir in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post observed public works officials removing
\ngarbage from rivers on Monday.<\/p>\n
Although floodwater had receded in many parts of the city,
\nlarge puddles continued to disrupt traffic and public
\ntransportation, causing hours of delay.<\/p>\n
Unlike Jakarta, areas in Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor are still
\nsubmerged in water.<\/p>\n
The overflowing Cisadane River, caused by heavy rain from
\nSunday night until Monday morning, inundated hundreds of houses
\nin Teluk Naga district, Tangerang.<\/p>\n
\"The water is about one meter deep,\" Dulhadi, an official at
\nTeluk Naga district office was quoted as saying by
\ntempointeraktif.com.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, state elementary school Jatimakmur VI in
\nPondokgede, Bekasi, is holding classes in a shop-house because
\nthe school collapsed in heavy rain.<\/p>\n
\"No one was injured in the incident, which took place at about
\n6 a.m.,\" principal Suratmi said.<\/p>\n
She added that some parents had contributed Rp 8,000 (90 U.S.
\ncents) each toward the Rp 2 million per month rent for the shop-
\nhouse.<\/p>\n
Flooding in the capital reached a critical level on Wednesday,
\nkilling two people and forcing over 20,000 residents to take
\nrefuge on drier land.<\/p>\n
The worst flood in recent years in the capital was in 2002,
\nwhich killed 31 people and left 300,000 people homeless.<\/p>\n
Although the administration was organized in evacuating flood
\nvictims and distributing aid this year, many residents complained
\nof a lack of aid.<\/p>\n
According to city spokesman Catur Laswanto, the administration
\nwill take Rp 500 million from its budget as a reserve fund for
\nthe city's flood mitigation task force.<\/p>\n
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday that he had asked
\nSutiyoso to relocate residents of flood-prone areas \"or they will
\nbe continuously affected by floods\".<\/p>\n
The East Jakarta administration previously planned to build
\nraised, low-cost apartments to relocate Ciliwung riverbank
\nsquatters, the idea of which gained support from City Council on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
\"It's an alternative for the residents of Kampung Pulo,
\nKampung Melayu and the surrounding areas to avoid flooding,\" said
\ncouncil speaker Ade Supriatna.<\/p>\n
\"We have to return the function of riverbanks to green areas.
\nThe residents must support this policy.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakarta-remains-on-alert-for-floods-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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