Mayor warns E. Jakarta residents of floods

Mayor warns E. Jakarta residents of floods

JAKARTA (JP): East Jakarta Mayor Sudarsono warned people
living along the banks of the Ciliwung, the Cipinang and the
Sunter rivers to evacuate as soon as possible in anticipation of
wet-season floods.

"I urge all people whose houses were flooded or affected
earlier this year not to wait until another big flood comes,"
Sudarsono said in the Jatinegara district yesterday.

In an address to officials deployed to units set up to handle
floods (Apel Siaga Banjir), he said residents should not rely on
common assumptions that large floods occur only once every five
years.

"Do not be too late in evacuating, as a large flood like the
one early this year may come soon," Sudarsono said.

The Kramat Jati subdistrict was submerged by flooding 1.5
meters deep after the Ciliwung river overflowed.

The floods which affected several areas in January and
February killed 20 people and caused losses of Rp 50 billion.

In East Jakarta 300 officials are involved in handling flood
control programs. They have been assigned from the mayoralty
offices in charge of flood control, sanitation, fires and land
transportation and traffic, local police precincts, the state-
owned electricity company and the Red Cross. Their tasks include
evacuating and assisting people during floods.

The ceremony attended by the officials was the last check on
preparations to anticipate floods. It was delayed for 90 minutes
by a downpour.

Sudarsono presented four electronic sirens to the subdistrict
heads of Kramat Jati, Cawang, Bidara Cina and Kampung Melayu --
the worst affected areas in January and February.

Residents who have not evacuated will be given as much warning
as possible by the sirens, Sudarsono said.

Signs of flooding are usually monitored from the rising of the
level of the Ciliwung river in certain points in Bogor and Depok,
upstream areas in West Java. Floods in East Jakarta last occurred
eight hours after the signs were observed in Bogor, and four
hours after the river level rose in Depok. (kod)