Thousands flee homes as floods paralyze Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Panic, fatigue and confusion were etched on Wagino's face, a
\nresident of Kalibata in East Jakarta whose house on the Ciliwung
\nriver bank was swept away in Wednesday's floods.<\/p>\n
\"The flood came early at 3 a.m. and it destroyed most of my
\nhouse. I don't know where to go for temporary shelter,\" Wagino
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Wagino was not alone. Thousands of other Jakartans were forced
\nto leave their homes due to massive flooding that engulfed many
\nparts of the capital and paralyzed many roads in the city.<\/p>\n
The official estimate reported that at least 8,000 residents
\nacross the city were forced to flee to temporary shelters on
\nWednesday as rainwater completely inundated their homes. No
\nfatalities were reported so far.<\/p>\n
\"We have received a report that floods have claimed one life.
\nThe victim was reportedly electrocuted. But, we have yet to
\nverify the report,\" said the secretary of the city flood and
\ndisaster mitigation task force, Soebagio.<\/p>\n
The worst affected areas were Cipinang Besar Selatan, Kampung
\nMelayu Kecil, Pondok Bambu in East Jakarta, Rawa Jati, Bukit
\nDuri, Bidara Cina, Manggarai and Cipulir in South Jakarta,
\nPetamburan in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The water level reached up to three meters in Cililitan Kecil,
\nEast Jakarta. Despite such dangerous water levels, some residents
\ninsisted on staying on their roofs and refusing to leave their
\nhomes for fear of looting.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso announced on Wednesday that the
\nflooding in the capital had reached a critical level, only a step
\naway from an emergency situation, when Jakarta residents living
\nin flood-prone areas must be evacuated.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has 78 areas that are prone to flooding, most of which
\nare in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"If heavy rain continues and the water level rises to an
\nalarming level, I will have no choice but to open the flood gate,
\nwhich may cause flooding in elite areas, including the State
\nPalace... I am sure that the President (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono)
\nwould be able to understand this as an emergency situation,\" he
\ntold reporters during his impromptu visit to the Manggarai flood
\ngate in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Several temporary shelters prepared by the administration
\ncould not accommodate the massive number of flood victims, so
\nmany of them took up the sidewalks and edges of the road, like on
\nJl. Jatinegara Barat in East Jakarta. In Cipinang Besar Selatan,
\nmany residents even took refuge in the public cemetery.<\/p>\n
Separately, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said
\nthat the police would immediately set up command posts in all
\nflooded areas to help flood victims to evacuate and to supply
\nfood.<\/p>\n
\"We will deploy most policemen in subprecincts in areas that
\nare affected by floods to help distribute food, evacuate victims,
\nprevent looting and handle traffic,\" Firman said.<\/p>\n
Jl. Kalibata, Jl. Otto Iskandardinatta, Jl. Kampung Melayu
\nBesar, Jl. Jatinegara Barat, Jl. Daan Mogot and Jl. Cipulir Raya,
\nwere completely closed to traffic on Wednesday morning as the
\nfloods were too deep for vehicles to pass. Police rerouted the
\ntraffic to alternative routes. Some motorists were seen leaving
\ntheir vehicles trapped in water.<\/p>\n
\"I decided not to go to the office today. I have been waiting
\nfor transportation for hours, but no one wanted to pass the
\ninundated roads,\" said Neny, a resident of Pondok Kopi, East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Flooding is an annual occurrence in Jakarta. The worst
\nflooding in recent history took place in 2002, killing 31 people
\nand forcing 300,000 residents to leave their homes.<\/p>",
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