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)