Analyst: Damaged Rivers Upstream Triggered Jakarta Flooding

Indonesia Suspends Discussion on the Peace Council. Floods that have again hit several parts of Jakarta are not solely triggered by heavy rainfall, but also reflect the weakening flood-control system that has been built. Urban planning analyst Yayat Supriyanta says that rainfall intensity in the upstream areas is one of the main factors triggering floods in Jakarta and the surrounding region in recent days. ‘The flood problem now is largely due to rainfall. The floods in Jakarta yesterday or in Tangerang were largely triggered by the relatively high rainfall intensity in the upstream area,’ Yayat told Media Indonesia on Sunday (8 March 2026). He explained that heavy rains in upstream areas such as Bogor cause an increase in water discharge flowing towards Jakarta. This condition further worsens the situation when the capacity of the flood-control system in downstream areas is no longer adequate. According to him, environmental damage in river areas up to upstream areas also worsens the condition. ‘Now the problem is that the system capacity is no longer supporting it. The river is damaged, the upstream is damaged. So one could say we are experiencing a system paralysis, in addition to an environment that does not support infiltration and flood control,’ he said. Yayat assessed that this condition indicates a serious decline in environmental quality over several decades. This environmental degradation is then intertwined with the flood-control system capacity that is no longer relevant to current conditions. ‘There is indeed environmental degradation coupled with a system capacity that is no longer valid,’ he said. On the other hand, Yayat also highlighted the large budget allocated each year for flood mitigation in Jakarta. However, in his view, the use of the budget needs to be evaluated more measurably. He emphasised that every penny spent by the government should be able to measure its impact on reducing flood risk. ‘The money spent this year is in the trillions, but we still do not know what the provincial government will do. As long as that money does not answer how to reduce the amount of flooding that occurs, it is difficult to measure its benefits,’ he said. Therefore, he urged a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of flood-budgeting, including calculating how much the programme can reduce the frequency and impact of floods in Jakarta. ‘We must evaluate the results of money spent on flood mitigation against its benefits. How large a reduction in floods can be truly achieved,’ he concluded. (Far/I-1) The recurring floods almost every year have again drawn the attention of various parties, including concerns about the limited green open spaces (RTH) in the capital. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung stated that the floods affecting several parts of the capital on Sunday (8/3) were triggered by extreme rainfall. The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) says that failures to tackle floods and traffic congestion in the capital can no longer be regarded as a technical issue alone. Heavy rains that have drenched Jakarta since mid-October have caused puddles at dozens of points and severe traffic congestion. Jakarta has been hit by floods since Sunday (6/7) early morning and until Monday (7/7) morning. In the midst of the disaster, 10 provincial pumps even burned. High-intensity rainfall was reported as causing Jakarta floods today, Friday (20/4). The rain triggered a rise in water levels at several monitoring posts. Jakarta floods since Friday (20/2) also affected TransJakarta route diversions. Flood updates in Jakarta this morning, Saturday 31 January 2026. The DKI BPBD recorded 29 RTs inundated, with Cawang and Kampung Melayu worst due to the Ciliwung overflow. The Jakarta weather forecast for today, Saturday 31 January 2026. BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency) issued an early warning of widespread thunderstorms. Check flood updates at 29 RTs and the Ciliwung water level. TransJakarta update 30 January 2026. Corridor 3 Daan Mogot began to return to normal, but Corridor 5 was affected by floodwater in Jatinegara. Check latest routes. Copyright @ 2026 Media Group - mediaindonesia. All Rights Reserved