Three Decades of Flooding: Kebon Pala Residents Endure with Multi-storey Homes

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Footsteps along the narrow alley in RT 13 RW 04 Kebon Pala, Kelurahan Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, are soon met by a stark contrast between residents’ daily activity and the threat posed by the flow of Kali Ciliwung near the settlement.

Behind walls stained by floodwaters, the scent of damp soil and residual mud has become part of daily life for residents. Recurrent floods leave water marks clearly on the walls of their homes.

For more than three decades, floods are no longer uninvited guests; they are part of a life cycle that forces residents to continually adapt amid uncertainty.

Residents’ survival strategies are also evident in the shape of the houses. Nearly every home in this area has two to three storeys.

For residents, the ground floor is a space already surrendered to be flooded when floods arrive. Meanwhile, the upper floors become the final refuge to safeguard valuable items and family members as floodwaters from upstream start to overflow.

Amid limited flood management perceived by residents, local initiatives have become one of the pillars of safety.

Children with bright school bags are seen bustling along the narrow alley, which is wide enough for only one motorbike.

They continue to play and go about their daily activities, even though the area can transform into a swift watercourse within hours when heavy rains lash the upstream region.

Yet behind that cheer lies the collective trauma residents have endured for years facing floods.

Their parents must continuously monitor river conditions via information shared in the residents’ WhatsApp group, especially when heavy rains drench Bogor in the upstream of the Ciliwung River.

“Banjir yang paling besar itu mulai tahun 1996, sudah hampir 30 tahun. Sebelum 1996 sebenarnya sudah ada banjir, tapi tidak sebesar itu. Setelah itu terjadi lagi tahun 2002, lalu 2007 yang paling parah,” said Sanusi when interviewed by Kompas.com at his home, on Tuesday (3 March 2026).

The floods in 2007 remain the most indelible event for the residents.

“Iya, 2007 paling parah. Air sampai masuk ke lantai dua rumah saya. Bahkan di lantai dua itu sampai sepinggang. Setelah itu ada lagi banjir tahun 2013, tapi tidak separah 2007. Lalu tahun 2020 juga besar lagi,” he said.

In recent years, according to Sanusi, the frequency of floods has actually increased.

“Kalau sekarang malah lebih sering. Di sini kadang hampir setiap bulan bisa banjir kalau hujan lama di Bogor atau di sini juga hujannya terus. Air di jalan bisa sampai dua meter,” said Sanusi.

This condition gives residents their own scale for measuring water height.

“Iya, karena sudah sering. kadang kalau air naik sedikit, warga sudah anggap biasa saja. Kalau cuma sepinggang orang dewasa, mereka bilang masih kecil,” said Sanusi.

The construction of multi-storey houses is influenced not only by flood threats but also by population density. In one house there can be two to four households, as married children usually continue to live here, according to Sanusi.

When floods arrive, losses for residents almost always occur, especially for those who rely on home-based businesses.

“Losses are inevitable. Many residents here are home traders. When floods hit, they cannot sell. Not to mention household goods such as mattresses, clothes, and wardrobes are often damaged,” he said.

Not infrequently do residents lose goods when floods arrive suddenly.

“There were times. When floods arrive without warning, many wardrobes topple over. Residents’ belongings are completely submerged,” he noted.

“If there is news that water is rising in Depok, with friends and contacts there, typically about six hours later the water reaches here. So I often check that information,” he said.

If there is news of water rising, he promptly informs the residents.

“If there is news, I wake the residents so they can prepare, because there will be a six-hour gap after the information in our area before flooding occurs,” he said.

As a result, the rainy season becomes a period of heightened vigilance for him.