City prepares for possible floods
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Ahead of the rainy season expected to begin next month, the Jakarta administration is getting busy in anticipation of possible flooding in the capital, dredging rivers and cleaning up garbage jamming sluice gates.
"We're also preparing bags of sand for emergency levees to anticipate overflowing sluiceways. In addition, we're also preparing rubber rafts," City Public Works Agency head Fodly Misbach said on Monday.
Fodly said the agency had allocated Rp 350 billion (US$38,500) for flood mitigation.
"We have also teamed up with the City Public Order Agency to provide an early warning system for the public. We will step up our monitoring at seven sluice gate observation posts," he added.
Governor Sutiyoso warned that the heightened preparations would not guarantee that the city would be able to stave off flooding, which is an annual occurrence.
"What we can do now is to minimize the adverse impact of flooding, since we have yet to build the East Flood Canal and to reclaim the northern coast of Jakarta," Sutiyoso said.
Jakarta is prone to annual flooding with its 13 rivers, and because 40 percent of the city is below sea level.
The delay in the construction of the East Flood Canal, which is expected to ease floods by connecting five major rivers in eastern Jakarta to the West Flood Canal, has frustrated flood control efforts.
Meanwhile, the reclamation of the northern coast is expected to control the tide, another major contributor to the flooding.
In 2002, Jakarta experienced its worst flood, which affected most of its 36 districts, killing 30 people and leaving more than 300,000 people homeless. The floods also paralyzed the capital's infamous traffic for days.
"I also urge Jakartans not to build houses along riverbanks, as such structures will impede the flow of the rivers," Sutiyoso said.
City Public Order Agency head Soebagio, who is also secretary of the city's disaster mitigation agency, said the rainy season would reach its peak in December and January.
"We have identified at least 78 locations across the city that are vulnerable to flooding," he said.
The administration is organizing a week-long campaign from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12 to raise public awareness and participation in disaster management.
Flood-prone areas
North Jakarta
1. Dewa Ruci, Dewa Kembar
2. Kapuk Kamal
3. Kapuk Kedaung
4. Kapuk Muara
5. Kebon Bawang
6. Kelapa Gading
7. Kerendang Duri Utara
8. Lagoa
9. North Jakarta Housing Complex
10. Pademangan Barat
11. Pademangan Timur
12. Papanggo
13. Pluit
14. Prof. Dr. Sedyatmo
15. Rawa Badak, Tugu
16. Rorotan
17. Semper
18. Serdang
19. Sungai Bambu
20. Sunter Agung
21. Sunter Jaya
22. Sunter Timur
23. Tegal Alur
24. Teluk Gong
25. Tugu Utara
26. Warakas
East Jakarta
27. AMI, ASMI, Perintis Kemerdekaan
28. Cipinang Indah, Cipinang Muara, Cipinang Melayu
29. Cipinang Jaya
30. Halim Perdanakusumah
31. Kramatjati
32. Malaka Selatan, Pondok Kelapa
33. Matraman Dalam
34. Pulo Mas
35. Pulo Nangka
36. Rawa Bunga
37. Ujung Menteng
Central Jakarta,
38. Cempaka Putih
39. Gunung Sahari
40. Jati Pulo
41. Jati Pinggir
42. Kali Pasir, Kwitang
43. Karang Anyar
44. Kebon Nanas
45. Mangga Besar
46. Mangga Dua
47. Pejompongan
48. Pinangsia
49. Teluk Betung, Kb. Kacang, HI Traffic Circle
50. Tomang Rawa Kepa
South Jakarta
51. Bidaracina, Kampung Melayu, Bukit Duri, Kebon Baru
52. Cipulir, Cileduk Raya
53. Darma Jaya
54. Kampung Rambutan
55. Kebalen, Mampang Prapatan
56. Pengadegan, Gg. Arus, Rawa Jati, Kalibata
57. Petogogan
58. Pondok Karya
59. Pulo Raya
60. Setiabudi Barat
61. Tegal Parang
62. Yos Sudarso
West Jakarta
63. Cengkareng
64. Rawa Buaya
65. Kembangan (Green Garden)
66. Pesing
67. Komp. IKPN Bintaro
68. Pondok Pinang
69. Cirendau
70. Tanjung Duren
71. Duri Kosambi
72. Meruya
73. Jelambar
74. Grogol
75. Sukabumi Utara
76. Kelapa Dua
77. Buluh Perinduh, Tegal Amba
78. Duri Kepa
Source: Coordinating agency for disaster mitigation