Inundated Jakarta Should Expect Flooding to Worsen
Lenny Tristia Tambun,Bayu Marhaenjati & SP/Fana Fadzrikillahi | January 16, 2013
Rescue officials patrol a neighborhood in Tangerang that was flooded on Tuesday. The flood threat is expected to rise. (JG Photo/E.F.Raharjo) The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) issued a flood warning on Tuesday after the water level at the Katulampa floodgate in Bogor rose from 150 centimeters to 210 centimeters in a matter of hours on Tuesday morning.
BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the conditions had forced authorities to open the dam or risk flooding upstream areas.
The dam controls the water level of Jakarta's main waterway, the Ciliwung River, which runs through densely populated slum areas in South and East Jakarta.
Sutopo said with the dam open, a flood warning had been issued for areas in Jakarta surrounding the river, mainly Rawajati, Kalibata, Pengadegan, Cawang, Kebon Baru, Bukit Duri and Kampung Melayu.
"Jakarta residents must be vigilant, particularly in areas prone to floods," he said.
Sutopo said that the expected flooding would likely be more intense than earlier floods this rainy season.
Surging water levels were also reported on the Pesanggrahan River, which runs through parts of South, Central and West Jakarta, following heavy downpours for most of Tuesday in the upstream area of Puncak in Bogor.
Arfan Arkili, head of the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), said five district and nine provincial units have been asked to remain on high alert for flooding.
Flooding in areas surrounding the Pesanggrahan was observed as of Tuesday morning and was expected to worsen later in the evening.
Meanwhile, the Sekretaris River in Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, overflowed and killed one teenager identified as Angga, 13, who was swept away by strong currents after he falling into the water.
Arfan said the incident occurred at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Angga's lifeless body was discovered a few minutes later.
In South Jakarta, Jalan Ciledug Raya was cut off by the surging Pesanggrahan, which crippled traffic in both directions.
"The flood has made it impossible for vehicles to pass and many vehicles have taken a detour," said motorist Muthia Soediro.
"I left home at 7:30 a.m. and I only arrived at work at 11:45 a.m."
In Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, hundreds of homes by the Ciliwung were inundated in nearly two meters of water on Tuesday evening, with some areas beginning to be flood from 6 p.m. The flooding there has forced at least 1,200 people to evacuate to temporary shelters.
Some schools have also told their students not to come today out of fear of more flooding and gridlocked traffic.
| World Bank warns of Jakarta flood | ||
| Fears that exceptionally high tide could inundate large areas of Indonesian capital. Last Modified: 03 Jun 2008 09:35 GMT | ||
The Indonesian capital Jakarta is at risk of severe flooding due to an exceptionally high tide which is predicted to hit the city next week, the World Bank has warned. The tidal surge, part of an 18 year cycle, is expected to reach its peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, possibly forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Jakarta is sinking at up to six centimetres a year and bigger sea swells caused by global warming could unleash unprecedented flooding, according to Hongjoo Hahm, the World Bank's infrastructure expert. "This is just the beginning," he told the Associated Press news agency, adding that houses up to 1.6km inland could be affected.
Rising sea waters pose a threat to coastal cities like Jakarta, which has sunk at least two metres in the last three decades due to factors such as excessive ground water extraction, experts say.
Hahm said that the government should build a dyke to protect Jakarta Bay but conceded that it "will cost billions of US dollars".
Flooding in the Indonesian capital in November last year saw thousands of homes submerged to roof level.
The 18 year high tide cycle occurs when the sun and moon are in direct alignment and making their closest approach to the Earth.
Experts say that Indonesia, one of the world's largest contributors of carbon dioxide emissions caused by rapid deforestation, is also at risk of becoming one of the biggest victims of climate change. |
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