Jakarta Floods More Than 24 Hours, Heru Budi: Please Maklumi

Overflowing water and fallen trees due to heavy rains in DKI Jakarta (DOK BNPB/Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono asked Jakarta residents to understand the recent flood conditions. On Friday, March 22, a number of areas in Jakarta were flooded for more than 24 hours. It was recorded that floods submerged up to 39 RTs in West Jakarta and North Jakarta due to heavy rains. The flood that hit more than one day forced 976 residents or 291 families in Tegal Alur Village to evacuate. Heru explained, during the Jakarta flood last Friday, the rainfall that fell was quite extreme, namely 200 mm. Meanwhile, the drainage system in Jakarta can only accommodate 100 mm of rainwater. "In Jabotabek, including in Jakarta yesterday, the intensity of the rain was 200 (mm), you know. In 180, if it rains for 4 hours, it is already overwhelmed. So, everyone, please understand," Heru said when met in Cengkareng, West Jakarta, Monday, March 25. Heru explained, there are other factors that cause flooding in Jakarta, namely water shipments from upstream or buffer areas that have also experienced heavy rains recently, as well as tidal waves or sea level rise that usually floods the coastal areas of Jakarta. "Flooding for more than 24 hours but we have overcome it. This is because the tidal wave and rainwater were 200 mm. Then there are also shipments. Including those at the HEK (Simply), at HEK there are shipments from Bogor, yes. Hopefully we can overcome everything," said Heru. In the early hours of this morning, the HEK intersection located on Jalan Raya Bogor between Kramat Jati and Ciracas sub-districts was flooded due to the overflow of the New River. The temporary plaster that was built during the repair of the embankment was unable to hold water so that it overflowed onto the highway. On the other hand, this morning the flood also inundated 30 RTs in South Jakarta and East Jakarta, flooded up to 2 meters at 10.00 WIB. Floods occurred after rains that hit parts of Jakarta and buffer areas.

Floods this morning submerged the area in the Ciliwung River. The Ciliwung River overflowed into the waega settlement due to rain and water shipments from the buffer zone. This morning, a number of floodgates also experienced an increase in status. The status of the Manggarai Sluice and Pesanggrahan Post since 06.00 WIB has been on Alert 3 (Alert).