Floods catch Jakartans by surprise

Floods catch Jakartans by surprise

By Esta Sallvithya Dirgantari

JAKARTA (JP): Flash floods which swept through several
neighborhoods in Kampung Melayu last week caught many people by
surprise even though the densely-populated district has been
prone to such disasters over the past two decades.

"We didn't have time to save any of our belongings except the
clothes on our back," Yuhana, a mother of four, recounted on
Saturday after her family escaped the flood which struck their
home in the Kampung Pulo neighborhood on Thursday night.

Yuhana and her family found temporary shelter, along with
thousands of other residents, at the nearby Santa Maria school.

"Floods are routine for us," she told The Jakarta Post,
adding, however, that she was caught completely unaware this time
because the last major flood to hit her home was five years ago.

The neighborhood was among the worst hit areas, after floods
swept through many parts of Jakarta on Thursday following three
days of relentless rainfall.

A Kampung Melayu resident who was operating a bamboo raft was
drowned and his body found on Friday morning. At least 18,000
residents throughout the capital were forced to flee from the
flash floods.

At the peak of the flooding on Friday morning, the Kampung
Pulo neighborhood was submerged below 2.8 meters of water. By
Saturday morning, however, the water receded to below half a
meter, allowing residents to return to their homes, inspect the
damage and commence the cleanup.

Usually, the floods which have affected Kampung Melayu
originate from the Ciliwung River which overflows as a result of
heavy rains upstream, particularly in Bogor south of Jakarta.
This makes it difficult for residents to predict when the next
flood will hit them.

Mamnun, a 45-year-old widow who makes a living by selling
gado-gado (mixed vegetables with a peanut sauce), said she
returned to inspect her house on Saturday morning only to find
her stove, kitchen utensils and five kilograms of vegetables
swept away by the water.

Most other belongings however, despite being saturated, were
still intact, she said.

Floods also disrupted schooling for many children in the area.

Twelve-year-old Indra, who attends state junior high school
SMP 26, said he had missed out on school on Friday and Saturday
because he had to help clean up his house.

Kampung Melayu subdistrict chief Abdullah Tjut said many
people had chosen to stay in their houses, moving to the roof
rather than fleeing during last week's flood.

"They are used to floods. As long as their houses are not
completely inundated they would rather stay put," Abdullah said.

Taufik, who lives in a poorly constructed two-storey house
with his family, said he managed to move all electronics,
important documents and other valuables to the second floor
before the flood struck his house.

Asked about any plan to move out, he said he never entertained
the idea of leaving the neighborhood which he grew up in.

"I inherited this house from my parents. I don't want to
move," he said.