The Fate of Ciracas Residents Flooded During Eid

Residents of Ciracas, East Jakarta, had to endure the Eid al-Fitr holiday in an unusual manner. This is because flooding struck their homes on the first day of Eid.

At least nine neighbourhood units (RW) in the Ciracas sub-district were inundated by floods. The flooding occurred due to the overflow of the Cipinang River.

Heavy Rain and Inflow Water

The Ciracas sub-district head, Panangaran Ritonga, stated that the flooding happened after rain with considerable intensity. The rain lashed the area from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. WIB on Saturday (21/3/2026).

“The rain started in the afternoon. The volume of water from the upstream area in Cimanggis, Depok, was quite large, causing the Cipinang River to overflow,” said Panangaran, quoted by Antara on Sunday (22/3).

Panangaran mentioned that the water began to overflow from the Cipinang River around 6:30 p.m. WIB. Normally, the pooling in the area would recede in about two hours.

However, in this incident, the water had not receded even after more than three hours. “Normally it recedes in two hours, but until 10:00 p.m. WIB the water still hadn’t receded; the flood was really persistent,” he said.

According to him, the reason the pooling had not receded is suspected to be influenced by the high volume of inflow water from the upstream area and the river’s capacity not being able to accommodate the water volume.

His team, along with relevant parties, continues to monitor the situation in the field, especially in areas along the Cipinang River.

“We urge residents to remain vigilant against the potential for follow-up flooding, given that rainfall is still likely to occur,” said Panangaran.

Not Receded Until the Second Day of Eid

Residents of RW 03 to RW 05 in Ciracas sub-district were still facing flooding on the second day of Eid 2026. The Eid moment, which should have been full of joy, instead required residents to accept with open hearts the influx of water into their homes.

Observations by detikcom at the location on Sunday (22/3/2026) showed that water from the East Cipinang River was still pooling in residential areas. Several residents were seen evacuating.

However, some residents chose to stay in their homes. Children in the area were still seen playing amidst the flood.

The flood height this afternoon was starting to reach 20 to 80 cm. The flooding was beginning to recede in some houses, and the occupants were busy cleaning up the remaining mud and sand.

Some were also drying out items that had been submerged in the flood.

Feri (51), a resident of Ciracas, East Jakarta, said he could not go visiting for Eid after his house was flooded. Despite the calamity, Feri chose to be grateful for still being given the opportunity to celebrate the day of victory.

Met by detikcom, Feri and his wife were taking turns washing the table and chairs from the sand caused by the flood. They were busy inside the house, even though water was still pooling on the road area in front of their gate.

Feri recounted that normally the second day of Eid is spent visiting relatives’ houses or going to the graves. That plan had to change; Feri had to let go of his Eid clothes in exchange for shabby attire to battle the mud and sand.

“Normally (on the second day of Eid) just to my father’s house, to uncles and aunts, going around, visiting graves. But today I can’t, no way. My body is already exhausted,” said Feri when met at his home in Ciracas, East Jakarta, on Sunday (22/3/2026).

The Sadness of Floating Eid Cakes

The warm and communal Eid atmosphere turned into panic for Slamet (62), a Ciracas resident. He did not expect the rain that fell since midday to gradually turn into a flood.

He said the Eid situation at his house initially felt normal. The rain fell lightly, accompanied by wind, then stopped, then came again.

“Indeed, the rain at first was light for a long time, light, wind, light, wind. Gradually the water from there flowed, the road flowed. The rain continued until heavy, finally it didn’t take long for the flood, it was somewhat normal for the residents,” he said when met on Sunday (22/3/2026).

“Gradually, whether it was a release or what from Depok, it gushed out, everything was submerged, all the items inside (the house) were flooded,” he continued.

At that time, Slamet and his family did not have time to save their belongings from the flood. As a result, mattresses, furniture, and snacks prepared for Eid were submerged.

“All these mattresses have been hit. The Eid cakes are all floating,” he said.

That night, Slamet and his family were forced to evacuate to the mosque. Even though he said some relatives had come before the flood arrived.

“Family that had been there since morning. This rain was in the afternoon or around 2 p.m. until the flood,” he said.

According to Slamet, this flood was the worst. Normally, rain only causes light pooling on the roads.

“This is the worst, so it’s very unpleasant,” he stated.

Slamet hopes the government can take steps for future prevention. One of them is by strengthening and raising the river embankments so that the water does not overflow into settlements again.

“The hope is for collective effort to handle the river, raising the edges, the riverbank, so that the river water doesn’t spill over,” he hoped.