Jakarta, Ekuatorial – After three days of rain, nearly 6,000 people evacuated and 97 sub-districts inundated by flood, said an official, in Jakarta, on Tuesday (10/2).
The hardest hit North Jakarta with the largest evacuees of 2,518 people, followed by East Jakarta and West Jakarta. All of evacuees are located in 14 shelters.
“There are three areas have evacuees. Meanwhile, other areas [Central Jakarta and South Jakarta] do not have any evacuees up to date. But, we will keep monitoring,” said Denny Wahyu, Jakarta’s head of National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
Eighteen sub-districts were inundated in North Jakarta, including Kali Baru, Marunda, Rorotan, Semper Barat, Suka Pura, Lagoa, Ancol, Kapuk Muara, Penjagalan, Penjaringan, Pluit, Kebon Bawang, Papango, Sungai Bambu, Sunter Agung, Sunter Jaya, Tanjung Priok, and Warakas.
Furthermore, 27 sub-districts were inundated in East Jakarta including Cakung Barat, Cakung Timur, Jatinegara, Penggilingan Pulo Gebang, Rawa Terate, Pondok Bambu, Bali Mester, Bidara Cina, Cipinang Besar Selatan, Cipinang Besar Utara, Cipinang Cimpedak, Cipinang Muara, and Kampung Melayu. There were 1,800 people evacuated in East Jakarta.
Meanwhile, there were 1,668 evacuees in West Jakarta which came from 23 sub-districts, including West Cengkareng, East Cengkareng, Duri Kosambi, Kapuk, Kedaung Kali Angke, Rawa Buaya, Wijaya Kusuma, Telal Alur, Duri Kepa, South Kedoya, North Kedoya, Kelapa Dua, South Suka Bumi, Joglo, South Kembangan, North Kembangan, Jati Pulo, South Kota Bambu, Pinangsia, Angke, Duri Selatan, dan Kelurahan Pekojan.
“Two other areas, Central Jakarta and South Jakarta were also flooded but there were no reports of people evacuated,” he said. “There are eight sub-districts in Central jakarta and 21 sub-districts in South Jakarta.”
Nevertheless, Jakarta’s Governor Basuki ‘Ahok’ Tjahaja Purnama, said that this year’s floods were relatively under control compare to previous years puddles and floods were receding immediately.
“Our preparation to anticipate flood is much better. We have been dredging and cleaning rivers. We are more prepared for this year’s flood compare last year. We predicted that if floods came then it would take less than a day [to recede],” he said.
For this reason, Ahok refused to apply Weather Modification Technology from the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology or BPPT fearing that it will lead to bigger floods.
“It can wait. I would only apply to weather modification if Jakarta is really in critical condition,” he said. “It is because we were shocked that the palace was flooded. So if the palace was flooded, it would be called as emergency situation? What emergency? [Even] Kampung Pulo’s flood did not reach to seven meters again.” Lenny