Semarang City Government: 86 trees toppled due to heavy rain and strong winds

Semarang City Government recorded at least 86 trees toppled due to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds that struck the area on Wednesday afternoon, 4 March. Semarang Mayor Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti, in Semarang, said on Thursday that she had immediately instructed the ranks to address the fallen trees. The heavy rain and gusty winds over several hours caused many large trees to collapse, with billboards and several lightweight steel roofing sheets from stalls on several road sections also blown away. A joint team from the Semarang City BPBD, the Housing and Settlement Areas Service (Disperkim), Satpol PP, volunteers, and local residents acted quickly to handle and clean up the affected sites. Affected locations include Jalan Pahlawan, Jalan Imam Bardjo, Jalan Suratmo, Jalan Dr. Cipto, Jalan S. Parman, Jalan Soekarno Hatta; then also Kota Lama (Old Town) area, Purwoyoso, Ngaliyan Pedurungan, Genuk, and Semarang Timur. In several locations, such as Simpang Lima Square, Jalan Madukoro, and Jalan Mayjend Sutoyo, more than one tree toppled due to strong gusts. Pramestuti stressed that the response was swift to anticipate traffic disruption and potential danger to residents. Field teams immediately cut tree trunks, clear branches, and reopen roads that had been temporarily blocked. “Once the report arrived, the team moved to the location to evacuate and clean up. In a single night, 86 toppled trees were dealt with and evacuated so that road access could quickly return to normal,” she said. Beyond main roads, fallen trees were also reported in several residential areas, public facilities, schools, puskesmas (community health clinics), and office areas, such as around Semarang City Hall, as well as several city parks. As of now, the handling process continues at several sites requiring further action. She urged residents to stay vigilant against potentially extreme weather that may still occur. “We ask residents to promptly report if they find trees prone to falling or other emergencies so they can be attended to by officers,” she said. In addition, Pramestuti said authorities will continue monitoring the condition of shade trees in public spaces as a mitigation measure to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.