Flood hits main thoroughfares in Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Heavy, continuous rain on Friday has inundated some of the city's main thoroughfares and caused severe traffic congestion until late in the evening.

"The bumper-to-bumper traffic jams in the Cikini area (Menteng, Central Jakarta) have been going on since 5 p.m.," said Alberto Londa who was still trying to pass through the area at 9 p.m.

Besides the Cikini area, the overflow also affected areas not normally prone to flood, such as in front of City Hall on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan, Jl. Jend. Sudirman as well as Jl. MH Thamrin (see photo).

The downpour also caused flooding in front of the Salemba Penitentiary, Jl. Utan Kayu and the underpasses in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

The city's flood monitoring centers reported that as of Friday evening flooding in front of City Hall had reached 50 centimeters, while on Jl. Jend. Sudirman it had reached knee height.

"But the State Palace area is currently free from flooding," an official of the Central Jakarta Flood Monitoring Office said.

An employee of Manggarai sluice gate -- that controls the Ciliwung River that runs through Central Jakarta -- said that the lack of drainage and clogged waterways worsened the flood.

"If it was because of the river overflowing, then it usually inundates Bukit Duri in South Jakarta and Kampung Melayu in East Jakarta," he said.

There was no flooding in either of those areas. (004)