Semarang sinking deeper into the sea<\/p>\n
By Haryoso<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Saltwater is invading 500 hectares of
\nresidential and business areas in the northern and eastern
\ncoastal subdistricts of Semarang.<\/p>\n
In the worst hit places, the water level reaches as high as 50
\ncentimeters during high tide, usually during the night. Residents
\nsay the flooding has been going on for five years in some of the
\nworst affected areas, with the government doing little to help.<\/p>\n
During the current rainy season, more and more homes, schools,
\noffices, places of worship and streets are being inundated.
\nDuring the nighttime high tides, the salt water sneaks into
\npeople's bedrooms, stays in their living rooms and soaks their
\nkitchens.<\/p>\n
Residents have reported skin rashes and gastric problems, as
\nthe brackish water has turned packed residential areas into
\nunhealthy swamps, where foul odors are commonplace and clean
\nwater is scarce.<\/p>\n
Experts blame the uncontrolled exploitation of groundwater,
\nwhich caused the ground level to drop, for the flooding.<\/p>\n
The affected residents are low-income people who cannot afford
\nto move to higher ground, especially during the present economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Suratman, a resident on Jl. Purnasari, north Semarang, says he
\nhas been fighting a losing war against the intruding water for
\nfive years.<\/p>\n
He has raised the floor of his 100 square meter house many
\ntimes over the last five years, but his efforts have been futile
\nbecause the water level also keeps rising.<\/p>\n
\"I have raised my floor by 40 centimeters and people in the
\nvillage have increased the road level by 50 centimeters, but the
\nwater is getting higher very fast. Our money has gone down the
\ndrain,\" said the blue-collar worker and father of five.<\/p>\n
Masrukah, a 45-year-old food vendor in northern Semarang is in
\nthe same situation. Her house has been flooded with stinky black
\nwater many times. The first incident occurred two years ago and
\nit has been getting worsen since.<\/p>\n
\"The water usually appears in the morning and leaves in the
\nevening,\" she says. \"Very often, it comes at night. When it
\nrains, we can hardly sleep for that our house will be washed
\naway.\"<\/p>\n
When it rains hard at night, she often takes her small
\nchildren to a relative's house in a different area of the city,
\nanticipating the worst.<\/p>\n
Like other affected residents, Masrukah complains of the
\ngovernment's inaction in dealing with the worsening problem.<\/p>\n
\"Officials have promised to help us get rid of the salty
\nwater, but so far nothing has happened,\" she says.<\/p>\n
The flooding has also affected several schools in the northern
\nand eastern coastal areas.<\/p>\n
Muktiharjo Elementary School in east Semarang has been
\ncontinually flooded over the past few months. In the schoolyard,
\nwater is ankle high, and on rainy days water inundates the
\nclassrooms.<\/p>\n
When the water level in the class rooms reach 40 centimeters
\nor above, classes are canceled. If the flooding lasts for a few
\ndays, classes will be temporarily moved to nearby residents'
\nhomes.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, the flooding forced us to conduct the national
\nexamination at the residents' homes,\" says school teacher Sukemi,
\nnoting that this year the water enters classrooms more often than
\nit did last year.<\/p>\n
When school is not in session, many children play and catch
\nfish in the water that floods the schoolyard.<\/p>\n
In Tambakrejo, a public cemetery has been inundated for most
\nof the current rainy season. Once acclaimed for its cleanliness
\nand shade trees, the three-hectare cemetery is now an eerie
\nsight, with muddy earth, dying trees and the tops of tombstones
\nprotruding from the water.<\/p>\n
\"On holidays, the cemetery often turns into a fishing ground,\"
\nsays Ramijan, a local who oversees the cemetery.<\/p>\n
Due to a lack of space in the city, the cemetery is still
\nbeing used, with about six bodies buried there every month,
\naccording to Ramijan.<\/p>\n
The problem is, he says, grave diggers will not dig deep
\nenough holes, so the corpses will float away. It has happened
\nthat decomposed bodies have been unburied when the cemetery
\nflooded, spreading a putrid odor.<\/p>\n
Annurrofiq, an ecologist at the University of Diponegoro who
\nhas conducted research on the rising seawater in Semarang, says
\nthat uncontrolled deep wells are to blame for the flooding.<\/p>\n
He proposes that the local government to tighten the licensing
\nprocedures for the use of groundwater by hotels and factories in
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
Semarang mayor Soetrisno Soeharto has said that the local
\ngovernment plans to build four water-pumping stations and two
\nreservoirs in Tawang, eastern Semarang, and Bulu, northern
\nSemarang, with assistance from the Japanese government.<\/p>\n
The government also plans to relocate residents in affected
\nareas.<\/p>\n
The projects are expected to be completed by the year 2000.
\nUntil then, the residents will have to bear the difficulties
\nbrought by the intruding sea water.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/semarang-sinking-deeper-into-the-sea-1447893297",
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