Floods force 13,000 to flee
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Tangerang/Bekasi
Nearly 13,000 Greater Jakartans were forced to flee their homes on Thursday as floods from heavy downpours overnight submerged many areas.
The Jakarta Operation Coordinating Board (Satkorlak) for Disaster Mitigation reported that floods had greatly affected four of five municipalities in the capital, the lone exception being Central Jakarta. Some areas of Tangerang and Bekasi were also inundated.
They also reported that water levels at five of eight main sluice-gates were at dangerous levels -- the Pesanggrahan sluice- gate, West Jakarta; the Karet sluice-gate, Central Jakarta; the Pulogadung sluice-gate, East Jakarta; the Manggarai sluice-gate, South Jakarta; and the Depok sluice-gate -- had surpassed their maximum safe levels and on alert status 3. Level 1 is the most dangerous.
The City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya and the board secretary Soebagio recommended Governor Sutiyoso increase the alert status from level 3 to Level 2. Sutiyoso said he would likely approve it.
Around 2,500 residents of Kebon Jeruk subdistrict in West Jakarta had to seek refuge on railroad tracks as water levels were over a meter high in several spots. In Semanan subdistrict, also in West Jakarta, 670 people fled to temporary shelters at a nearby mosque, the subdistrict office and the community health center as water reached 180 centimeters.
"The municipality administration has provided rice and instant noodles for them," West Jakarta Mayor Sarimun Hadisaputra said while visiting them.
He admitted that water overflowing the banks of the Mookervart canal could not be pumped out of the area unless the government build a flood reservoir nearby.
Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo, who also visited the victims, promised to issue circulars among hospitals to prioritize flood victims and dengue fever patients.
Nearly 400 people in that area, half of them children, reported skin irritation as well as upper respiratory system infections. Dr. Dalmira from the Kalideres health clinic said she had treated many of them.
In East Jakarta, the floods varied from 30 cm to 150 cm and submerged Cawang, Cakung and Pondok Bambu subdistricts. The inundation caused severe traffic jams and school closures.
Flood-prone areas like Bukit Duri and Cipulir subdistricts in South Jakarta and the Podomoro and Kelapa Gading in North Jakarta were already submerged.
In Tangerang regency and municipality, water hit thousands of homes and hectares of paddy fields. However, residents in five villages in Pakuhaji district in the regency were reluctant to leave their homes although water was up to one meter in many neighborhoods.
Wawang Sofyan, an official of the local social agency, said a total of 1,040 homes were confirmed to be affected, but many village heads had failed to send in their reports.
However Muhamad Rais, the secretary of Kohod village, claimed they had submitted reports of floods since December but never had a response.
The head of the Tangerang Flood Crisis Center Heriyanto said some 3,571 houses had up to 120 cm-deep water in several districts in the municipality.
Floods in Bekasi regency have also been worsened, with 10 districts adversely affected.
I-box Flooded areas and number of refugees
.TB3.70" Subdistrict Number of refugees 1. Duri Kosambi, W. Jakarta 150 people 2. Semanan, W. Jakarta 670 people 3. Kebon Jeruk, W. Jakarta 2,500 people 4. Rawa Buaya, W. Jakarta 200 people 5. Pondok Bambu, E. Jakarta 670 people 6. Cipinang Muara, E. Jakarta 1,484 people 7. Cipinang Melayu, E. Jakarta 6,660 people 8. Cakung Timur, E. Jakarta 220 families 9. Cakung Barat, E. Jakarta 729 families 10. Jatipadang, S. Jakarta 120 people 11. Cipulir, S. Jakarta 120 people 12. Semper Barat, N. Jakarta 20 families 13. Tugu Selatan, N. Jakarta 32 families
TOTAL 12,574 people and 1,001
families
Source: The Jakarta Social Welfare Agency