'We have no other choice, but to stay'
'We have no other choice, but to stay'
The National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) has
forecasted that heavy rains will pour down on the city until Feb.
25. Massive flooding, like last year's, might hit the city again,
it said. However, the City Governor has merely advised residents
to brace themselves for the floods. The Jakarta Post talked to
residents living in flood-prone areas on the issue.
Tabroni, 55, is a neighborhood unit chief in Cipulir
subdistrict, South Jakarta. He lives with his wife and five
children:
Honestly, last year's flooding frightened me badly, and it
still frightens me now, despite the fact that I have been living
here for 22 years.
On Wednesday, the river again flooded the neighborhood, and
some of my neighbors took shelter in my house. This was the first
flood this year. I'm just afraid that bigger a flood will flow
into my house like last year.
As a safety precaution, I have moved all my household
belongings into the attic, as have my neighbors.
We know that flooding is unavoidable here, because most of us
live along the riverbank. It seems so far that this natural
disaster is nearly impossible to prevent.
I'm sure that as soon as the heavy rains fall, this place will
be flooded. I don't know what to do to save all the people and
property here in preparing for the heavy downpours until the end
of this month.
We have tried to comply with the regulation to build our
houses a few meters away from the Pesanggrahan riverbank. But, I
wonder why shopping centers have been allowed to exist along the
riverbank? If there is a strong and huge flow of water, those
buildings will block the river current, forcing the water to turn
course and come into our neighborhood.
There have been no effective measures taken by the city
administration to settle the problem, and the ongoing
construction of an elevated road over the river will likely
worsen the situation, with residents residing on lower ground
more susceptible to floods.
I pity those living on much lower ground, because they have to
suffer flooding all the time.
I've heard one of the mayors promise to straighten up the
river to help smooth the current, but it has only remained an
empty promise. Were it realized, it might help minimize the
danger.
Masri, 34, is a sidewalk vendor selling children's clothes and
shoes at Cipulir Market in South Jakarta. He lives in Pondok Aren
subdistrict, South Jakarta, with his wife and two children:
I do realize that the Cipulir area is flooded annually. Last
year was the worst flood ever.
On Wednesday, heavy rains caused a flood here, with the water
level reaching at least 30 centimeters above the floor of the
market.
But, what can I do? I don't know anywhere else better for a
vendor like me to earn a living.
I haven't come up with any good ideas on how to save my goods
from floods so far. I just have to stay alert when the heavy
rains come.
Normally, I just wrap up all my goods and store them at the
top story of the market.
I'm just sad that every rainy season like this means a few
days off from work. If I should have to stop working for, let's
say, one week, I will probably be flat broke because I wouldn't
be able to make the Rp 40,000 I do each day.
Mrs. Rozali, 50, is the wife of the neighborhood unit chief at
Pondok Pinang in South Jakarta. She lives with her husband and
six children along the Pesanggrahan riverbank:
Thinking of the floods always makes me depressed, since it
reminds me of last year's massive flooding in the city. It left
me traumatized, if I may say so.
This is the only place I can call home, because I'm native to
this neighborhood. I have never experienced such a horrendous
nightmare before.
I lost a lot of belongings in last year's flooding, but I
managed to save some of my household things, which I have kept
wrapped up ever since. Now I have exchanged my metal kitchen
utensils with plastic ones because those are more practical and
much cheaper, too.
On Wednesday evening, the river water overflowed into my
house, with the water reaching 80 centimeters high inside. I've
just finished cleaning up the thick mud.
It seems that the nightmare is coming again this year, doesn't
it? I don't know what to do to prepare for the disaster.
I think the safest thing to do would be to move from here. But
I don't know where I'd go. Nobody will buy this house, and I
don't have any other place to go to in the city. So, whether I
like it or not, I must stay here and be aware of the coming
rains.
If it gets worse, my family will move to our neighbors'
houses, who live in safer areas, and wait for better conditions
to return home.
I regret that the city administration has never helped
residents who live in areas prone to flooding, like us. The
administration's only sympathetic move so far has been to express
an apology and to distribute aid. But, we don't need apologies,
we need solutions.
In anticipation of the coming floods, we have set up a soup
kitchen for flood survivors. But we haven't received any help or
aid from the local district administration, let alone the city
administration.