Jakarta Floods, Early Warning Devices In Ciliwung River Not Functioning

Mangaarai Sluice Gate (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission C of the DKI Jakarta DPRD August Hamonangan received a complaint from residents of Pengadegan Village, South Jakarta, which is located on the banks of the Ciliwung River that the flood early warning equipment in the area was damaged or not functioning.

"We received a report that the loudspeaker in Pengadegan did not sound. In fact, the water level in Katulampa Dam, even though at that time it had reached a critical point," said Member of Commission C of the DKI Jakarta DPRD August Hamonangan, Wednesday, March 5.

Therefore, he regretted the inability of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) to ensure that flood early warning tools function optimally.

For this reason, he asked the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to ensure the readiness of existing flood early warning tools following the incident.

He also regretted that tools that were so expensive were not able to function properly.

In fact, he said, the intention was to give an early warning to residents so that they had a time lag to get ready for the flood.

"Because the tool is not functioning, residents who live close to the Village Office are not even ready to face future disasters at that time," he said.

In addition, he also encouraged the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to intensify the development of flood control infrastructure around DKI Jakarta.

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, he said, must also conduct an evaluation, if the procurement of toa is less effective, the budget can be focused on building reservoirs, polders and reservoirs that can function as water parking lots.

"This can reduce the possibility of overflowing water and cause flooding. In addition, normalization must also be carried out many times," he said.

August invites each party, including residents of Jakarta, to remain vigilant and not to be careless in the face of potential flooding that may hit several areas in the area.

Previously, the Head of DKI Jakarta BPBD Isnawa Adji said that the floods that occurred in Jakarta were caused by high-intensity rains that hit the Jakarta area and its surroundings since Sunday (2/3) and Monday (3/3), as well as on Tuesday (4/3).

As a result of the high intensity rain, Isnawa said, it caused the Katulampa Dam in Bogor, West Java, to become a danger and cause the Ciliwung River to overflow.

Then, he continued, the rain that occurred in Jakarta with high intensity caused a number of areas to be flooded.