Floods Yet to Recede, Traders Return to Cipulir Market Despite Having Gone Home

JAKARTA - Several traders who had already returned home came back to Cipulir Market in South Jakarta because the floodwaters had not yet receded, on Saturday night (2/5/2026). They were salvaging their merchandise and cleaning up the remnants of mud that had entered their shop areas. One of the traders, Miran (39), said she had to turn back from her home in Jembatan Lima, West Jakarta. “We had already gone home earlier, but we deliberately came back to clean the mud. If it dries, it’ll be hard to clean. And also for the goods, we’re afraid they’ll get damaged by the water. We’re confused too because the water just won’t recede,” said Miran when met by Kompas.com at the location on Saturday night. Miran explained that the flooding began to inundate her stall after heavy rain hit Jakarta around 2:00 p.m. WIB. The water level rose in the afternoon, submerging kiosks on the ground floor. “This afternoon around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m., the flood was quite high, up to about 50 centimetres,” Miran revealed. The traders stated that the flooding at Cipulir Market was not solely due to river overflow. Instead, the drainage system and unfinished infrastructure projects were cited as the culprits. “It’s not just from the river this time; from the drains too. The drain in front, because of the slope, doesn’t seem to be sucking the water out, so the water is forced to enter here every time it rains,” Miran complained. However, Miran noted that if the pump on Jalan Ciledug Raya could operate optimally, the water would not inundate the market area. In agreement, Syaiful (36), a shirt trader occupying a stall under the stairs, also highlighted the excavation project in front of the market. “It floods often. Especially since there’s been this excavation in front, the pump house. It’s been going on for years without being completed,” Syaiful explained. This situation causes the water level to rise very quickly. If not promptly secured to the upper floor or stair areas using sacks, merchandise worth millions of rupiah could be damaged. “The water rises quickly; in just an hour, it’s full. Basically, whenever it rains, we just lift the goods using sacks to the top of the stairs,” said Syaiful.