Three days of heavy rain causes widespread flooding
Three days of heavy rain causes widespread flooding
JAKARTA (JP): Residents reeling from the weekend's downpour
were struck again yesterday when heavy rain fell across the city,
inundating more houses.
The latest data from the city's flood post indicated Pondok
Bambu subdistrict, in East Jakarta, was hardest hit with water
levels reaching a high of 200 centimeters.
Floodwaters forced all residents in the area to leave their
homes.
"We badly need tents and food supplies," Siahaan, a Pondok
Bambu residents, was quoted by Antara as saying.
There were similar scenes in Kapuk Muara, Sunter and Jl. R.E.
Martadinata, North Jakarta, were water levels of between 20 cm
and 30 cm were recorded.
Those living in Cipinang Timur, Cipinang Indah housing
complex, Kramatjati, Kampung Melayu and Dukuh, all in East
Jakarta, could do little but wait for floodwaters to recede.
About 1,600 houses were affected after heavy rain started
falling about 5 p.m. Saturday.
Toha Reno of the City Public Order Office said: "There are
several ongoing road construction projects in North Jakarta that
may cause flooding to occur.
"Besides that, the mushrooming of building development during
the dry season could create flooding as developers do not install
sufficient drainage systems,"
The office announced last year that 108 areas in the city are
flood-prone.
"So I urge residents to start cleaning their gutters and
actively participating in the flood prevention program," he said.
The flood post also reported that the water levels in some
areas in Palmerah, Joglo and Kembangan in West Jakarta were about
30 cm.
In South Jakarta, some areas in Mampang Prapatan, Kejaksaan
housing complex, Pasar Minggu, Kemang Utara and Ragunan were
inundated with floodwaters which reached about 50 cm.
"We are doing the best we can to cope with the situation,"
Toha said.
"The flood post number is (021) 3823412. Residents can ring us
anytime if they are facing flood problems."
The famous Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio in front of Mal Ambassador and
the Kuningan underpass in Central Jakarta were flooded Saturday,
turning the area into a giant brown pool.
"However, today (Monday) the water drained away gradually.
There are still some puddles in the area but hopefully it will be
dry soon.
"With the onset of the heavy rain Saturday, the area was
closed to prevent heavy traffic congestion because many cars got
stuck in the water," an official from the flood post, who did not
want to be named, said.
Another victim of the flooding was City Hall, where the public
relations office and press room on the ground floor were
inundated Sunday with about five cm of water. Jammed conduits
around Merdeka Selatan, in Central Jakarta, were blamed.
Office furniture had to be moved and cleaners were working
hard to drain away the water and remove wet and smelly carpet
from the building.
City councilor Lukman Mokoginta of Commission D for
development affairs called for labor-intensive projects to
continue implementing the flood prevention program.
"But we have to realize that the labor-intensive program can
only solve minor drainage problems.
"For bigger drainage problems, the city must give its full
attention to several factors that contribute to flood problems in
this city."
The factors include realizing the river normalization program,
removing slums along the river banks, educating residents about
the use of waste water shafts, coordinating the city's trash
distribution and improving environmental awareness, he said.
(edt/jun)