Neighborhoods brace for floods

Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With heavy rains forecast, the upscale Pluit subdistrict, which has battled floods in the past, has set up crisis centers in each neighborhood unit.

"We have also launched a community program to clean the sewers and gutters, and to pick up as much garbage as possible," an employee at the Pluit subdistrict office, Anita Permatasari, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

She said the subdistrict office would also set up pumps at Pluit dam and Angke River.

"We have also prepared 15 boxes of instant noodles and one ton of rice to provide food for flood victims," she said.

The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency has warned of approaching rains and possible flooding across the city.

Those areas in the city most at risk flooding include Kapuk and Cengkareng Barat in West Jakarta, Kedaung Kali Angke and Kelapa Gading Barat in North Jakarta, and Utan Kayu Selatan, Kayumanis, Kampung Melayu, Pisangan Baru and Cipinang Melayu in East Jakarta.

Officials and residents in Kelapa Gading Barat subdistrict are taking action in anticipation of possible flooding.

"We have set up crisis centers in each neighborhood unit, as well as at the subdistrict office, a nearby school and church. We have also prepared four pumps and five rubber boats to transport flood victims from their houses to the nearest crisis center," said Mulyana, a community safety official at the Kelapa Gading Barat subdistrict office.

He added that the subdistrict office had stocks of instant noodles and rice for flood victims.

"We are also going to have a community program on Sunday to clean up the Kelapa Gading Barat River," he said.

Neighboring Kelapa Gading Timur subdistrict has also taken measures to anticipate flooding.

Kelapa Gading Timur subdistrict deputy chief Nadjeri Badjir said his office had set up crisis centers in each neighborhood unit.

The subdistrict office also has prepared 10 cartons of instant noodles and 800 kilograms of rice.

"We are doing our best to anticipate and prevent as much as possible flooding. Let's hope that this year the flooding won't be too serious," said Nadjeri.