Rain, rain go away, come again no other day<\/p>\n
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The old man stared through the mist of the cataracts in his
\neyes. \"It's the end of the world, you just wait and see, the
\nwater's gonna keep rising. It's a sign of kiamat (doomsday),\" he
\nmurmured.<\/p>\n
And as if confirming the old man's prophecy, rain once again
\nfell on the watery world that was the Ciledug Indah housing
\ncomplex in Tangerang, southwest of Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ciledug Indah has been among the worst hit spots in the
\nwidespread flooding that many say is the most serious since 1996
\nin the low-lying Greater Jakarta area.<\/p>\n
The old man, Bashir, wasn't crazy, just angry and frustrated
\nat the incessant rain that has turned his neighborhood into a
\nlake.<\/p>\n
\"My home is way back there,\" Bashir said, pointing towards the
\nflooded road. \"I left home early this morning when the water
\nreceded -- I don't know what I'll be coming home to\".<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, two men were seen straining their muscles pushing a
\nbecak (pedicab) against the current. Its passenger was standing
\nup on the seat, water lapping between her knees.<\/p>\n
The rainy season has once again brought much grief to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Flooding is hardly unusual in the sprawling city located on
\nalluvial lowlands on the north coast of West Java. But, according
\nto Ismeth Zain, secretary for the head of the Pedurenan
\nsubdistrict, whose area of jurisdiction covers Ciledug Indah, it
\nhas never been this high before.<\/p>\n
\"We get heavy flooding once every five years, the last time
\nwas in 1996, but even then it wasn't this bad,\" he said, as he
\nhanded out bottled water and food to a family taking shelter at
\nthe subdistrict office.<\/p>\n
The waters have been rising since Monday morning, creeping
\ninto houses, soaking and carrying away valuables. They receded
\nbriefly early on Tuesday but then continued their ascent. In some
\nplaces within the complex, the water level rose as high as 150
\ncentimeters.<\/p>\n
Ismeth said that at least 2,000 households were half
\nsubmerged.<\/p>\n
However, the rain -- although constant -- hasn't been as hard
\nas to warrant flooding. In fact, according to the Meteorology and
\nGeophysic Agency (BMG) the recent downpours have not even reached
\nhalf the intensity of those accompanying the 1996 floods,
\nmeasuring less than 100 millimeters compared to the 400
\nmillimeters recorded in 1996.<\/p>\n
Residents said that an embankment on the nearby Angke River
\nhad burst the night before, while many others also believed that
\nthe water was spillover from Bogor, West Java, because a water
\ngate has been opened to redirect the overflowing water of the
\nCiliwung River.<\/p>\n
Whatever the reason, it matters little to the victims, many of
\nwhom have taken refuge on the second story of their own or their
\nneighbors' homes.<\/p>\n
The Amsars had taken their three daughters to the subdistrict
\noffice for shelter. Huddled together for warmth, they were
\nsupplied with water and food courtesy of the regional
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
\"We had planned to take refuge at my parents' home elsewhere,
\nbut we couldn't get the car out,\" Mrs Amsar said as she hand-fed
\nher 19-month-old baby. She said that she didn't want her family
\nto stay at home for fear that the water would continue to rise.<\/p>\n
Yet, even at the subdistrict office, the water has already
\nreached the front porch.<\/p>\n
\"We put everything on the second storey and came here. When
\nthe water has receded enough, we'll go off to my parents,\" Mrs.
\nAmsar said.<\/p>\n
Yet, despite the deluge that they have found themselves in,
\npeople are maintaining a brave face.<\/p>\n
Karana, whose store was under more than a meter of water, said
\nhe was lucky that the water had not reached his home.<\/p>\n
\"But we're keeping the store open, if only for people taking
\nshelter from the rain,\" he said, adding that his children had
\nbeen kept home from school as \"they couldn't get out anyway\".<\/p>\n
And not everyone is unhappy.<\/p>\n
In another part of the street, small boys were swimming in the
\nflooded road. They are perhaps learning their first strokes in
\nthe flood water. Those not quite so young were also seen joining
\nin the fun, laughing and spurting water. Swimming races took
\nplace, and the losers were dunked in the brown water.<\/p>\n
Many others brought out their inflatable toys, usually kept
\nfor the swimming pool at Ancol. All the while the sun shines its
\npale light through the overcast sky.<\/p>\n
But soon the clouds unload their burden, and the housing
\ncomplex is once again drenched with rain. The sky begins to
\ndarken, the wind blows cold against the skin.<\/p>\n
\"The water's rising, it'll not stop tonight,\" repeated Basyir.<\/p>\n
\"It's the end of the world, I tell you\".<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rain-rain-go-away-come-again-no-other-day-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }