Abdul Khalik and Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Abdul Khalik and Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Local officials, supposedly the frontline of the Jakarta
administration's community fix for flooded areas, have done
little to help inundated residents, often not even bothering to
show up, flood victims said.

However, as water in some areas started to subside on
Wednesday, many residents, apparently used to the floods -- and
the lack of action -- downplayed the problem.

At Bukit Duri in South Jakarta, ankle-high water was a common
problem for the residents, who said they had yet to prepare flood
prevention measures.

"We have not prepared anything so far. No officials at the
subdistrict or district levels have bothered to come here and
check the area's condition," said Muhammad, a community head.

Officials usually came only after big floods forced residents
to flee their homes.

Muhammad said the recent floods were not enough to worry
residents, as they had experienced worse flooding in early 2002.

"Until we get information the water level at the Depok sluice-
gate has reached 320 centimeters, then it's business as usual,"
he said.

When the water rose to that level, houses in Bukit Duri along
the Ciliwung River would be submerged up to their roofs.

"That's when residents will begin evacuating to a safer
place," Muhammad said.

In 2002, at least 1,800 people in Bukit Duri had to flee their
flooded homes.

At Cipinang Besar Utara, in East Jakarta, residents initiated
the emergency measures.

"For the time being we don't need to set up tents. When the
waters are higher, then we will set up a shelter at a nearby
school," a resident, Yusuf, said.

So far there had been no instruction from subdistrict
officials about flood prevention measures, he said.

Flooding occurs at the area annually. Although the government
has deepened and widened the Cipinang River nearby to prevent
flooding, one-meter-deep water still flooded the area on Tuesday.

However, the situation was different in Semanan, West Jakarta,
where local officials provided meals for 50 families taking
refuge at the nearby mosque.

The officials and companies around the area had set up a flood
task force and provided 50 kilograms of rice and 20 boxes of
instant noodles for a public kitchen. Officials from the
Kalideres district community health center also provided medical
services for the refugees.

"We are doing OK. Now, there is a health clinic and we are
also given food twice a day. There is also a public bathroom
convenient enough across the street," said Arsadi, an evacuee,
who with his wife was tending their three small children.

On Monday, about 200 people sought refuge at the mosque after
a meter-high flood inundated their houses.

Musa, the neighborhood chief, hoped that the officials would
not only help them during flooding but would also find a solution
to prevent the floods from reoccurring.

"We are fed up with the annual floods. We have sent requests
to the West Jakarta municipality to address the problem but maybe
they have disappeared in the jungle of bureaucracy," he said.

Home to 13 rivers, Jakarta has suffered flooding for more than
400 years.

The city administration has been criticized before for doing
little to prevent floods. Meanwhile, it continues to issue
permits for developers to build more buildings which take over
green spaces that help drain water from streets.