Jakarta floods worsen due to less water catchment areas

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The problem of flooding in the capital city was worsening due to continuing violations of the Jakarta Master Plan, which had resulted in a decrease in the number of water catchment areas, an expert has said.

Paulus Agus Winarso of the Geophysical and Meteorological Agency (BMG) told The Jakarta Post here on Monday that the recent downpours in Jakarta actually measured less than 100 millimeters, far lower than the worst-ever level of 400 millimeters recorded in 1996.

The flooding that paralyzed the capital in late January 1996 was caused by heavy rains in the city itself and the adjacent areas of Bogor, Sukabumi and Depok.

"Floods in Jakarta have become a serious problem since the 1990s as its development activities have not been in line with its master plan," Paulus said.

Due to violations of the plan, water catchment areas have been decreasing, as they have been converted for other uses. He also cited the transformation of dozens of greenbelts into fuel stations and other business uses.

Based on the Jakarta Master Plan, for example, the forest lands in Muara Angke, North Jakarta that were converted into the Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) luxury housing estate were designed as protected forests (44.76 hectares) and natural reserves (25.35 hectares).

The exact number of greenbelts converted to other functions is not known, but an official at the city administration admitted that at least 15 fuel stations and one school building had been built in greenbelt areas.

"In the 1980s, around 60 percent of rain water was absorbed by the water catchment areas, now nearly 100 percent of the water flows directly to the rivers as many water catchment areas were concreted over," he said.

He criticized the Jakarta city administration for not seriously addressing the flood problems, even though the capital was badly hit by flooding in 1996.

"I do not see any strategy offered by the city administration in trying to solve flooding," he told the Post.

Paulus, who is also a member of the National Research Council (DRN), warned heavy rains could continue until late February and said it would be particularly dangerous if heavy rains fell in the highlands of Bogor and Depok.

"So far, we have not seen heavy rains in the highlands of Bogor and Depok. If there are heavy rains there, we should prepare ourselves for possible huge floods in Jakarta," he said.

But Paulus could not say when this year's rainy season would reach its peak, pointing out that he could only make an estimate of rain fall in January and February, while the peak could only be predicted six hours ahead of time.

He warned that if the city saw a pause in the rain for about a week or so next month (February) it could then expect a very heavy downpour. "So, if we do not see the rain for a week next month, we should prepare for the heaviest rains in the following days," he said.

But he added that this year's downpours would not reach the levels of 1996.

He said that there was no way to prevent flooding in the capital. All that could be done by the authorities was to give an early warning to people living in high risk areas.

"Early warning actually can minimize victims and material losses, but I do not see adequate preparation by the Jakarta authority," he added.