The Muara Angke Resident's Tale: 40 Years on the Tideline Amid Coastal Flooding and Economic Strain
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Amid the sea breeze competing with the blaze of the sun, some residents of Blok Empang Kerang Hijau, RW 22, Muara Angke, North Jakarta, were seen busy peeling shellfish. One of them is Rokiyah, 60, a native of Indramayu, West Java, who has worked as a shell-peeler and has lived in Muara Angke for 40 years.
‘I have been peeling shellfish since I moved from my hometown here; it’s been 40 years like this, that’s my job,’ Rokiyah said when interviewed by Kompas.com at the site, on Wednesday (4/3/2026).
Over these 40 years, Rokiyah and her family have had to endure living on the tidal flooding line. Because Blok Empang Kerang Hijau in RW 22 is the closest area to the shoreline, it is constantly affected by tidal flooding.
Living on the flood line is certainly not easy for Rokiyah and her family. In a location prone to floods, the houses in Blok Empang Kerang Hijau were previously dominated by semi-permanent, frail structures that easily collapsed due to continual erosion by seawater and wind.
As a result, the tidal floods that occur often submerge half the height of residents’ semi-permanent houses. This makes it difficult for residents to carry out daily activities, including inside the house.
Not only in the morning, sea water can surge at any time, including when residents are fast asleep in their homes.
‘Flooding, filth, you cannot sleep, there is a lot of rubbish. When you are finally resting, the water comes, so, you sit on a wooden bench waiting for the water to recede or to drain,’ Rokiyah said.
Whenever there is a threat of tidal flooding, residents flock to heighten their houses using green shell skins.
However, those efforts often fail; the sea water continues to enter residents’ homes calmly without warning.
‘Till my house is completely buried as we keep piling shells and I have to bow to enter the house, I think, ’Oh Allah, when will I be able to rebuild my house?’ ’ Rokiyah said.
Additionally, tidal flooding endangers residents as it often brings animals such as snakes and monitor lizards into homes.
Therefore, Rokiyah always wears boots when tidal flooding strikes to protect her feet from bites by dangerous animals that are often not visible.
Despite living under the shadow of tidal flooding, Rokiyah says she cannot simply leave Muara Angke. After all, the sole reliable source of income as a shell-peeler exists only in Muara Angke.