Deputy Minister of Public Works inaugurates community-based flood detection equipment
Bogor Regency (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Public Works Diana Kusumastuti inaugurated the use of community-based flood early warning equipment in Bojongkulur, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Wednesday.
The inauguration was marked by the activation of the siren for the Automatic Water Level Recorder (AWLR) and rain gauge equipment managed by the Cileungsi Cikeas River Care Community (KP2C).
The equipment is a grant from AIM Analytics Malaysia and is placed along the Cileungsi and Cikeas Rivers, alongside manual monitoring points (peil scale) and KP2C’s CCTV.
Diana hopes this system will increase community preparedness in facing potential floods, while strengthening real-time data-based early warning systems.
“Since this is in the area of the Ciliwung Cisadane River Basin Authority, please connect it so that the surrounding areas can benefit,” she said.
“For that, the community must be ready to face disasters, and this equipment greatly supports it as a flood hazard early warning system,” she added.
She also emphasised the importance of managing riverbank areas to be free from settlements, as well as the need to provide green open spaces to reduce flood risks.
In addition, the government is preparing a flood control plan up to 2028, including the construction of eight retention ponds that are currently in the planning and study stages.
“Hopefully, this JICA assistance programme will start tendering in 2027,” Diana said.
Group Executive Director of AIM Analytics Malaysia Reneir Tara stated that the technology is designed to provide sufficient time for the community to respond to potential floods.
“This technology saves people. Therefore, I hope this system does not stop here as a pilot project,” he said.
Chairman of KP2C Puarman explained that the AWLR equipment will strengthen the monitoring system that has been running so far, such as CCTV and peil scale, and improve the accuracy of information to the community.
“This equipment is very helpful for us so that the reporting we have been doing to the community will be more accurate and complete,” he said.
According to him, the system is capable of sending water level and rainfall data directly to the administrators’ mobile devices in the form of river status information, such as normal and alert.
KP2C also plans to coordinate with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to study the correlation between rainfall data and potential real-time water level rises.
During the event, Diana along with several officials released 7,000 tilapia fingerlings into the Cikeas River and planted trees as part of efforts to maintain the river ecosystem.