Central Java's Pantura Threatened to Sink, Government Fled Giant Sea Wall

Illustration of flash flood on Jalan Pantura (ANTARA)

SURABAYA - The threat of the North Coast (Pantura) Java region being submerged is now said to be getting more real due to land subsidence and sea level rise.

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) said the government would accelerate the construction of a giant sea wall to protect the northern coastal area of Java.

According to AHY, the phenomenon of land subsidence in a number of Pantura areas reaches 15 to 20 centimeters per year.

"If this is left unchecked, people in the Pantura area will be increasingly threatened. We can't wait too long," said AHY, Thursday, May 21.

He emphasized that the giant sea wall project is a strategic step to protect the safety of the community while maintaining the sustainability of the coastal area.

The main focus areas of the project include the Jakarta Bay area to the coast of Central Java such as Semarang, Kendal, and Demak which experience the most extreme land subsidence.

The government has also formed a special authority to accelerate the realization of the mega-project.

The giant sea wall project is targeted to start construction in 2027 and will involve the integration of areas in five provinces, 20 regencies, and five cities along the Java Pantura.

AHY emphasized that the construction of a giant sea embankment was not to limit the activities of fishermen, but to protect residential areas from the threat of flash floods.

"It doesn't mean that there will be a wall that will prevent fishermen from going to sea. In fact, we want to protect them and improve their welfare," he said.

The government also claims that the project will be integrated with the red and white fishing village concept so that the economic activities of coastal communities will continue to run productively.