Semarang Walkot Claims Flood-affected Area And Rob Reduced

Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu, inspects the progress of the construction of the sea embankment in Tambaklorok, Semarang. (ANTARA/HO-Semarang City Government)

The Semarang City Government said the area of flood-affected areas and tidal waves continued to be significantly reduced with various countermeasures being carried out.

Semarang Mayor Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu said the area affected by the floods and tidal waves in 2022 reached 3.48 percent and in 2023 it fell to 3.43 percent.

Meanwhile, specifically for the area affected by the tidal wave in Semarang, said Ita, Hevearita's nickname, only 406.27 hectares or 1.09 percent left.

According to him, various efforts have been made by the Semarang City Government to eradicate the Central Java capital from flood and tidal problems, including by making the two problems a priority to be resolved.

At least, he said, there were three sub-districts that were of concern to the handling, namely Genuk, Pedurungan, and North Semarang Districts.

He explained that one of the efforts of the Semarang City Government to eradicate the three areas from the flood was the installation of a "sheet pile" for sea embankments in the Tambaklorok area, North Semarang, which is currently being built.

"Our focus is on the coast. There are still three percent of flood areas. Genuk, Pedurungan, and North Semarang sub-districts are the most affected areas," he said.

The construction of the sea embankment in Tambaklorok carried out by the Pemali Juana River Basin Center (BBWS) is believed to be effective in eradicating tidal flooding in the three priority areas, and currently the progress has reached 62 percent.

In addition, he said, flood control projects in the Muktiharjo area, Pedurungan will also be carried out by BBWS Pemali-Juana through assistance from the World Bank.

Ita said the flood and tidal management program would be supported by capacity building in a number of pump houses, such as the Progo Pump, Tambakrejo, Tanah Mas, and Tawang Mas.

These efforts, he said, will be accompanied by construction and improvement of drainage channels in various regions, such as increasing the capacity of the Tlogosari, Dempel, Syuhada-bugen, Gajah-Aspol Kabluk channels, and Progo Pumps.

As an effort to deal with flooding in the East Semarang System, he said, sodetan will also be built into the Babon River.

Meanwhile, flood management in the Central Semarang System, he said, will be carried out through increased drainage channels along the Semarang River, Tanjung Street channels, MT Haryono-Petudung channels, Ki Mangunsarkoro channels, Tawang Mas Pumps, Colonel Sugiyono Pumps, and Tanah Mas Pumps.

Not only downstream, Ita said that the handling of channel capacity for flood management will also be carried out in upstream areas, such as Jalan Alam Asri, Jalan Semarang-Boja (Jatisari) and Jalan Duku 1 (Sunak Sungai Blorong).

Also, normalization will be completed on the Plumbon River, upstream of the Tenggang River, Babon River, Mangkang River, and Tugurejo River.

With a series of programs and projects being carried out, the Semarang City Government hopes to significantly reduce the impact of flooding in areas that are still affected.

"This effort includes handling downstream to upstream, involving various parties and various projects to maintain the sustainability of Semarang City from the threat of flooding," he said.