The Flood Never Retreat, Residents of Pantura Subang Forced to Evacuate at the Bridge Underpass

Subang - Hundreds of residents affected by flooding in the Pantura area of Subang Regency were forced to take shelter under the Pamanukan flyover after the water had not receded for the past week. The flood, which paralyzed the residents' activities, forced some families to survive in emergency locations with minimal facilities, but it was considered the most realistic in the face of limitations.

A number of residents chose the underpass because its location was close to their houses that were submerged. This condition facilitates the process of rescuing goods that can still be evacuated. Didi, a resident of Pamanukan, said the decision to evacuate under the bridge was not without reason. In addition to being a point of evacuation every time a flood comes, the close distance is considered safer socially and logistically.

He admitted that the local government had provided official evacuation locations. However, the relatively long distance made it difficult for residents to carry the basic necessities and belongings they had left. In emergency situations, residents' rational choices are not about comfort, but access and control over their own assets. In the field, pragmatism beats protocol.

Data from the Subang Regional Disaster Management Agency shows that the impact of this flood is quite extensive. As of Saturday morning, January 31, the flood in Pamanukan District flooded 5,679 houses in eight villages. Overall in the Subang area, waterlogged areas were recorded to have hit 7,536 houses spread across 51 villages in seven sub-districts.

A total of 13,541 families or around 36,060 people were directly affected by the flood. In addition to settlements, the flood also submerged 27 places of worship, 20 schools, and 2,884 hectares of irrigated land. The impact on the education and food security sectors is beginning to be a concern, especially if the flood lasts longer.

BPBD Subang recorded that as many as 276 families or 645 people are currently at the evacuation location. However, this figure is estimated to be still dynamic, considering that some residents choose to evacuate independently at informal points such as under bridges.

The Pantura Subang flood again confirms the classic pattern of problems in the coastal areas of northern Java: a combination of high rainfall, poor drainage systems, and a lack of water absorption space. As long as these structural factors have not been addressed seriously, the underpass will continue to be a "emergency address" that repeats every rainy season.