Story of Ciliwung River Residents, Risking Their Lives Amid Landslide Threats

Behind the dense settlements along the banks of the Ciliwung River lies a deep-seated worry haunting the residents. Those living on the riverbank no longer see rain as a mere blessing. Rain has become a danger alarm that could at any moment sweep away their homes in the river’s current.

Although there were no fatalities, the incident serves as a stark reminder of how fragile life is on the banks of this ancient river that flows from West Java to Jakarta.

Ningsih, one of the residents whose home is right at the landslide site, recounts the tense moments when the riverbank soil beneath the building began to shift.

“It started with creaking sounds (brittle), then a loud thud (collapse). There was also vibration, so we didn’t dare go out because of the thick dust,” she said.

The family of the building owner, named Istiqomah, say signs of the landslide threat had been felt since the end of 2025. The building, which has stood since the 1980s, is right on the cliff of the Ciliwung River bank.

The disaster then struck again in early March when the building owned by Istiqomah’s family, consisting of 15 rental units, collapsed due to a landslide on the Ciliwung River bank.

“The landslide affected the rentals one by one, 15 rooms on three floors. Fortunately, it was already evacuated at the time of the incident. But everything is gone, some belongings were left behind and couldn’t be saved,” she added while pointing to the remnants of furniture among the building rubble.

Istiqomah says this landslide is the worst compared to a similar incident 22 years ago.

“In 2004, it had already slid, but not as bad as this. This is the worst; everything is destroyed,” she emphasised.

Istiqomah hopes for the installation of permanent retaining walls to prevent follow-up landslides.

“The government’s solution is said to only be able to install dolken wood. What we want is, if possible, to have concrete retaining walls so it’s stronger,” she hopes.

Although the threat of follow-up landslides is real before their eyes, many residents are reluctant to move. In RW 10 Kebon Baru alone, there are at least 75 household heads (KK) living in landslide-prone zones.