Floods to recede, sea tides increase

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Some parts of the city could face further flooding in the coming days due to rising sea levels, the city administration said on Monday.

City Crisis Control Center officer Rustam Effendy said sea tide levels reached 160 centimeters on Monday and would rise further due to the full moon on Tuesday or Wednesday.

"But it will not reach the highest level of more than 190 centimeters as happened during the worst flooding this month."

He said the sea tide increase would affect areas in North Jakarta, including Kapuk Muara which is still inundated by water between 10 centimeters and 20 centimeters deep.

But the amount of the current rain fall, which has been averaging between six millimeters and 12 millimeters each day, would likely decrease in the coming days, he said.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said that it would rain lightly and sporadically on Tuesday.

Yet, many residents are still worried.

"We are still vigilant as rumors say that a renewed flood may occur in the next few days," said Suneni, 26, who run a small grocery stall just 15 meters from the Kali Angke river in Pejagalan, North Jakarta.

Suwardi, a resident of Manggarai subdistrict in South Jakarta, had even moved his furniture.

"The floods have receded considerably in the last two days. But, as you see, water levels can still rise once torrential rains or floods from Bogor come," said Suwardi, who works for a private company in Cakung, East Jakarta.