Bekasi City Is Inundated By Floods At Several Points, The Cause Is From Overflowing Kali In Housing

Illustration of flooding in Bekasi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Floods and standing water with varying heights occurred at several points in Bekasi City, West Java, on Sunday January 24, due to an overflow of secondary rivers following heavy rains that hit the area since early morning.

"The flood is due to drainage conditions and the condition of the secondary river around the housing where the water overflows due to rain from the morning and the intensity is quite good," said Head of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Bekasi City BPBD Hendra, quoted from Antara.

Secondary river is a kind of river, but is smaller in size which is usually located around residents' housing.

"So it is not a river overflowing because if the river is large, for example the Bekasi river. If this is more like a secondary river in housing," he said.

To date, around 350 households in eight RTs in Bekasi City have been affected by the flood and three of them have been evacuated.

In general, there are stagnant water that varies from 10 centimeters to about 1.5 meters. The worst condition currently occurs in Jati Bening Permai Housing with water levels reaching 120 centimeters.

As a first step, the BPBD of Bekasi City has evacuated residents who really wanted to be evacuated, either to relatives or neighbors whose houses were in a higher location.

"Until now, we are still going back and forth to evacuate," he said.

He said that at least 60 task force personnel had deployed at a number of points including three boats in the Pondok Gede area to evacuate residents who were stricken by the disaster.

Apart from Pondok Gede, he said, the team also monitors other affected locations, including Jatiasih, Rawa Lumbu and West Bekasi.

Meanwhile, for logistical needs, Hendra said that his party was preparing it and hoped that the assistance could be immediately distributed to residents in need.