Jabodetabek Flood Evacuation Team Asked For Maximum Work

The process of evacuating flood victims in the Ciledug area (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The extreme rain that flushed the Jabodetabek area from Tuesday 31 December to Wednesday 1 January caused flooding. Apart from causing damage, the flood also killed 16 people.

DPR Speaker Puan Maharani asked the evacuation process for flood victims to be prioritized. This is because he received reports that many are still trapped in floods, both in Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor.

"To maximize the work of the evacuation team, the SAR Agency and the National Disaster Management Agency must include all the existing potential, both TNI, Polri and volunteers," said Puan, in a written statement received by VOI, in Jakarta, Thursday, January 2.

The former Coordinating Minister for PMK said the government through BNPB had to carry out comprehensive emergency response operations including rescue operations for victims, the establishment of refugee camps, public kitchens, securing homes and assets of victims, and anticipating the emergence of post-flood diseases.

"During the Emergency Meeting, the government should mobilize all related ministries and agencies to help affected communities and immediately carry out recovery efforts," he said.

Currently, said Puan, it is necessary to build a good synergy between ministries and institutions in disaster management, namely the Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of PUPR, Ministry of Health and BNPB as well as Regional Governments.

"The DPR asked that the flood disaster that hit Jabodetabek be immediately resolved through coordination and communication between related agencies. Instead of shifting responsibility to each other and still prioritizing the interests of the community," he explained.

Not only that, this PDI-P politician also asked members of the DPR RI who were in recess, especially in the Jabodetabek Electoral District, to help carry out emergency response processes by mobilizing all available potential.

"Flooding in Jabodetabek cannot be resolved partially because it involves several regions. There must be preventive efforts to minimize the impact from upstream to downstream. So that the central government must appear to be the pioneer," he said.

Puan added that the Central Government and Regional Governments must work together in formulating flood prevention policies and programs in Jabodetabek. The DPR will assist all efforts to prevent and overcome floods in Jabodetabek, especially in terms of budgeting and legislative functions.

Floods in the Jakarta area monitored by helicopters (Mery Handayani / VOI)

The need for PLN Flood Alert

Floods occur not only in residential areas but also on public roads, including toll roads. Deputy Chairman of the PKS DPR-RI Faction, Mulyanto, asked PLN to prepare a standby team in each service unit to anticipate various possibilities.

"This rainy season, PLN needs to be alert to monitor the situation in each area. Residents who experience flooding really need electricity, but PLN also needs to consider security and safety aspects," he said, in Jakarta, Wednesday, January 1.

This member of Commission VII said that in flood conditions it is very prone to electrical short circuit and wild currents. For that we need a team that understands the situation.

Learning from previous experiences where when floods hit, people often fell victim to wild electric shocks, Mulyanto asked PLN to be quicker in dealing with various events. PLN needs to curb illegal electricity connections which are the main cause of illegal flows.

"We must not repeat the same mistakes. We need to move quickly to anticipate various possibilities," he said.