Water level in city still normal

JAKARTA: Water at the city's sluice gates remained at safe levels on Sunday despite the heavy rain that has started to fall in Jakarta and the upstream areas of Bogor, Depok and Cianjur in West Java.

Mimpri Mashuri, a sluice gatekeeper at Manggarai, South Jakarta, said the water level stood at 680 centimeters, far below the normal level of 800 centimeters.

He said the level in Manggarai depended on the level of the Ciliwung river flowing from Depok.

Depok sluice gatekeeper Marsan said that as of Sunday morning, the stream stood at 105 centimeters.

"It is still normal," he said, adding that Jakarta would be flooded if the water level in the sluice gates reached 200 centimeters.

In the worst flood in February 2001, the water level at the Depok sluice gate reached 310 centimeters. In Manggarai it reached 10,050 centimeters. -- Antara