'We're used to floods, ready to be evacuated'

'We're used to floods, ready to be evacuated'

The onset of the rainy season brings relief to those who have
suffered from water shortages. But people are now concerned about
the floods that seem likely to occur in prone areas in the
capital. Some citizens share the methods they use to safeguard
their houses against floods with The Jakarta Post.

Yosepha, 32, is a teacher at a private school in North
Jakarta. She lives in Serdang, Central Jakarta with her family:

I have been living in the flood-prone area near the Sunter
river for almost 30 years. The river is full of rubbish and the
water is very dirty.

We automatically anticipate floods and always move to our
relative's house.

Due to financial constraints my family can not move
permanently. We can only try to raise the foundations of the
house and we've already done that three times in the last 10
years.

I regret the poorly planned construction of supermarkets,
shopping malls and other buildings in the area which have made
water catchment areas disappear.

This surely indicates that the city administration sides with
the building's management. They are interested in profit, instead
of the people.

The situation is further exacerbated by the local people's
habit of throwing rubbish in the river.

Asih, 50, is a housewife who resides in Jl. Wijaya, South
Jakarta, with her husband and three children:

To welcome the rainy season, I have purchased large quantities
of wax. Wax is very useful in a flood-prone neighborhood like
mine. It can prevent water from entering the house by sealing up
holes and the spaces under doors. It has worked extremely well
for years.

But, besides that, I have no other ideas.

I am not anxious about the likelihood of floods. We are used
to this situation.

This area is prone to flooding because it is surrounded by
high-rise apartment buildings and a golf course. But what can we
do?

I wonder if the administration has the money to dredge the
river.

We have nowhere else to go. Maybe, if we can wait long enough
a private company will buy land in the area and we will be
compensated.

In the mean time, we are ready to be evacuated.

Rita, 50, is a housewife who lives near Ciliwung river in
Manggarai, South Jakarta, with her husband and three children:

Honestly, I am not going to do anything to safeguard our house
against floods. The so-called five-yearly flood cycle peaked last
year, so this year won't be any worse. All I am planning to do is
to move my belongings to a higher place in the house.

However, the people in my area have started to clean up and
the administration has cleared rubbish from the Manggarai water
gate.

But I'm saddened to see the way in which people living along
the river treat it as a dump.

Even though their makeshift houses are regularly flooded, they
seem to be unaware of the consequence of their actions.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.