Tangerang prepares Rp 5b for floods

TANGERANG: In an attempt to cope with flood problems, the Tangerang municipal administration has prepared Rp 5 billion in funds and has established a coordination forum for flood victim rescue teams over the weekend.

The forum, comprising academics, NGO activists, administration officials and 60 volunteer rescuers, will conduct simulations on how to cope with flooding in each subdistrict next week.

"Now the forum is preparing equipment required to rescue flood victims such as rubber boats and flood water pumps," said administration spokesman Hery Kusnadi.

Hery said that the administration had identified 18 areas prone to flooding in the municipality, including housing and residential complexes in the districts of Cibodas, Periuk, Ciledug, Pinang and Karawaci.

He said that Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) has predicted that heavy rains would likely fall from Jan. 15 until Feb. 15 next year.--JP