This morning, floods more than a metre deep submerge Kebon Pala, Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta

Jakarta – Floods more than a metre deep inundated residential areas in Kebon Pala, Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, on Sunday morning. ‘This morning, the water had reached around 125–150 centimetres and continued to rise,’ said Joni (38), a resident of RT 13/RW 04 Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta. He said the water had started rising on Saturday (7 March) around 22:00 local time and continued rising into the morning, submerging houses in low-lying areas. ‘Since Saturday (7 March), after 16:00, the water began to rise, but at 22:00 it rose further until this morning,’ he added. The flood, nearly two metres high in some areas, submerged household furniture and vehicles and cut off access to local streets. ‘It could rise further, as it rained heavily overnight,’ he said. Despite the significant water levels, so far no residents have evacuated or sheltered on the second floor of their homes. The floods in this area, a long-standing hotspot, disrupted residents’ daily activities. Officials say residents are waiting for the water to recede while monitoring the situation. Previously, the Jakarta DKI Jakarta Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) had recorded 39 RTs and 13 road segments flooded due to heavy rains in the area. ‘The floods occurred due to heavy rain in Jakarta and its surroundings from Saturday through Sunday,’ said Mohamad Yohan, Head of the BPBD DKI Jakarta Data and Information Centre. BPBD DKI Jakarta deployed personnel to monitor surface water conditions in each area and coordinate with the Dinas SDA (Water Resources Agency), Dinas Bina Marga (Public Works) and Dinas Gulkarmat (Fire and Rescue) to pump out stagnation and ensure flood-control channels are functioning properly.