Tidal Flooding Submerges Central Java's North Coast, Paralyzing Semarang-Demak Route

Tidal flooding, or ‘rob’, submerged several areas along the northern coast (Pantura) of Central Java on Monday afternoon. This phenomenon has inundated thousands of homes, main roads, and community fish ponds, even damaging residential buildings and causing significant material losses.

Monitoring indicates that tidal flooding has hit six major areas: Pekallagan, Batang, Kendal, Demak, Pati, and Rembang. This condition has paralysed the activities of coastal residents and disrupted regional transportation arteries.

In Pekalongan City, flooding submerged several villages in the Wonokerto and Tirto districts. In addition to cutting off inter-regional connecting roads, the tidal flood has disrupted cargo loading and unloading activities at the fishing port. Residents are also experiencing environmental impacts due to dirty, foul-smelling water.

The situation is particularly severe in Demak Regency, where tidal flooding has submerged dozens of villages across four districts: Sayung, Karangtengah, Wedung, and Bonang. The Semarang-Demak Pantura route in the Sayung district is once again underwater, triggering long traffic congestion due to numerous stalled vehicles.

In Pati Regency, tidal flooding in Tunggulsari Village, Tayu District, has expanded after an 110-metre levee breached. Consequently, dozens of houses in two neighbourhood units are at risk of being submerged, and the mangrove ecosystem in the coastal area has suffered damage. The Village Head of Tunggulsari, Setyo Wahyudi, stated that water levels reached over 1 metre. “80 hectares of the total 160 hectares of fish ponds have been submerged and damaged. Losses are estimated to reach hundreds of millions of rupiah,” explained Setyo.

Meanwhile, in Rembang Regency, tidal flooding accompanied by high waves struck the villages of Pantiharjo, Sumurtawang, and Pandangan Kulon. The Sub-Coordinator for Emergencies of the Rembang BPBD, Bambang Adi Wijanarko, reported that at least five houses were severely damaged after walls collapsed under the impact of the waves.

Responding to this annual disaster, the Vice Mayor of Pekalongan, Balgis Diab, has launched the ‘Rumah Livelihood’ Programme in collaboration with Kemitraan Indonesia. This programme is designed as a centre for the economic empowerment of coastal communities to make them more resilient to the impacts of climate change and the tidal flooding that continues to erode their livelihoods.