Schools shut by flood

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Four private schools in South Jakarta were closed on Monday after heavy rain the previous night left behind up to 80 centimeters of water in the buildings.

All of the schools are run by the Tarakanita Foundation.

Tarakanita Elementary School principal Adrianus Sudari said the flooding began at about 2 a.m. on Monday.

"Four hours later, the level of the water had reached 50 centimeters, leaving me no other option but to call off classes for today," Adrianus told The Jakarta Post.

Located on Jl. Wolter Monginsidi, the foundation's elementary school is located in the same compound as a kindergarten and junior high school run by the foundation.

A teacher at the kindergarten, Nining, said flooding was a recurring problem.

"The worse was in 2001 when we had to call off school activities for a week due to the flooding," said Nining.

Tarakanita High School on Jl. Pulo Raya was even worst hit by Monday's flooding, with the water level reaching 80 centimeters.

In Kebagusan regency, South Jakarta, two neighborhoods were hit by up to 1.5 meters of floodwater on Monday, leaving hundreds of houses inundated. The flooding is thought to have been caused by the ongoing construction of the Tanjung Barat overpass.

Residents said this was the first flood they could recall in the area. They blamed the construction for clogging up the nearby Kali Baru River.