Tangerang Residents Fear Worsening Floods Due to Embankment Collapse: Oh No, We're Really Stressed!

TANGERANG - Residents of Duren Villa Housing Estate, Pedurenan Ward, Karang Tengah Subdistrict, Tangerang City, are worried that flooding will worsen after the embankment along the Kali Wetan riverbank collapsed on Friday (8/5/2026). The embankment collapse is feared to cause water to overflow more quickly into residents’ settlements when the Kali Wetan river’s flow increases. “With the breach and collapse of this embankment, I’m worried it will make things worse if the water rises again and the flow increases like that,” said Danang, Chairman of RT 07/RW 02 Pedurenan, when met by Kompas.com at the location on Friday. At that time, he had reported abrasion beneath the embankment that caused the foundation to erode. “That caused the embankment to hang because the base had already been eroded,” he said. Over time, the condition of the embankment continued to deteriorate. Even about two weeks before the collapse, the paving block road on top of the embankment began to sink and tilt. Although reports had been made, there was no concrete handling until the embankment finally collapsed in the early hours of Friday. “So the residents’ anticipation was only to inform other residents that this was being processed, but it collapsed first,” said Danang. Another resident, Ananda (35), is worried that this condition will trigger larger floods in the Duren Villa area and surroundings. Therefore, Ananda hopes the government will immediately accelerate permanent embankment repairs before the rainy season. Meanwhile, the Tangerang City Government installed sandbags and bamboo around the collapsed embankment area. This was done as a precaution to prevent Kali Wetan water from overflowing into residents’ settlements when it rains. “The OP team has already anticipated it initially. After that, we will do two things. First, anticipation if the water suddenly rises so at several points we install sandbags in the hope that it does not enter residents’ areas if it overflows,” said Taufik Syahzaeni, Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning Department (PUPR) of Tangerang City, when contacted by Kompas.com via WhatsApp on Friday. In addition to installing sandbags, the Tangerang City Government also installed bamboo to strengthen the collapsed embankment area so it does not widen further. “Second, temporary handling for strengthening the retaining wall and the landslide,” he said.