Residents warned of flooding from expected heavy rainfalls
Residents warned of flooding from expected heavy rainfalls
JAKARTA (JP): Meteorology bosses are warning Jakarta residents
that expected heavy rainfall between December this year and
February next year could trigger massive flooding.
"Residents must be watchful of rainfall during those months
and take precautionary measures as there are strong possibilities
that the heavy rainfall could spark heavy flooding and create
havoc," Endro Santoso, head of the city's weather forecasting and
meteorology office, said yesterday.
He said the office could not forecast the intensity of
rainfall which might occur during those months.
"But based on past experience we can safely conclude that
those three months are likely to be the ones with the highest
rainfall," Endro said.
According to him rainfall exceeding 100 mm per day has the
potential to cause widespread flooding.
"Even 50 mm of rainfall a day is dangerous and could flood
several areas in Jakarta whose ecology cannot support their
drainage systems to cope with the rain," Endro said.
Heavy rain has been falling over the past few days in several
areas in the capital. However, according to Endro, this month is
still a transition period from the dry season to the rainy
season.
He said the transition period is often marked by sporadic
heavy rainfall. "However this rain is not regular and evenly
spread. It only occurs for a relatively short time."
Endro said an area is enters the rainy season when the
intensity of the rainfall surpasses 50 mm every 10 days.
He said that in Jakarta and its surrounding areas the rainy
season would begin next month and would peak in January next
year.
Based on rainfall data at the city's weather forecast and
meteorology office over the past few years, the average monthly
rainfall in Jakarta is 220 mm in December, 417 mm in January and
310 mm in February.
The office also recorded that during the deluge that
precipitated the massive flooding in Jakarta on Feb. 10, the
rainfall in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, was recorded at 314 mm,
231 mm in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, and 216 in Central
Jakarta.
Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta and the Monas (National
Monument) square area were among the areas submerged by the Feb.
10 flood. (bas)