Prioritize Citizen Evacuation

At least 24 people died as a result of floods and landslides in several parts of Indonesia, while tens of thousands others were displaced. Indonesia is not yet ready to face extreme rains.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A section of the Ciliwung River overflows its banks, disrupting traffic on Jl. Jatinegara Barat in East Jakarta at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday (1/1/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Heavy rains occurred in many parts of Indonesia from Tuesday until midday on Wednesday. As of Wednesday night, at least 24 people had died as a result of the downpour, some having been swept strong currents, others electrocuted or hit by landslides, according to data provided by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Jakarta Police.

Ten of the victims were from Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi and Tangerang, 12 were from Bogor and two were from Labuhan Batu Utara. Three people in Labuhan Batu Utara were still missing on Wednesday.

In the Jakarta area, according to data from the Jakarta flood handling post, until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, as many as 31,232 people were evacuated to 269 temporary shelters. Jakarta and the surrounding areas were almost paralyzed as many regular and toll roads, as well as railway tracks, were inundated.

As a result, Transjakarta bus and commuter train services were disrupted throughout Wednesday. It is hoped that on Thursday (today), there will be a solution to the public transportation problem as the people will return to work after the New Year holiday.

According to data provided by the Banten Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), at least 60 villages in five regencies in the province were inundated by the floods. Lebak regency and Tangerang were among the most affected areas.

In Brebes, 300 hectares of shallot farmland were also inundated.

The Kompas team received information that as of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, many evacuation requests from residents trapped in the flood had not yet been responded to. In Bekasi, for example, in Kemang Pratama and the Giant area near Wisma Asri complex, more than 100 people had not been evacuated.

The evacuation must be carried out by a rubber boat because the water level had reached more than 1 meter. According to data from the Jakarta Electricity Map or Pelita, as of 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, the power in 1,407 flood-hit areas in Jakarta and its surroundings were shut down to prevent electricity-related accidents.

Nur Hidayati, an employee who lives in Ciledug, Tangerang city, Wednesday night, said that electricity, internet networks and water in her house were shut down from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In Bintara village, West Bekasi, the electricity went out from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m..

Meanwhile, in Tegal, Central Java, floods hit at least 150 hectares of shallot farmland. The total losses due to flooding were estimated to reach Rp 7.5 billion. In Brebes, 300 hectares of shallot farmland were also inundated.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

People wade through floodwaters on Jl. Daan Mogot in West Jakarta, Wednesday (1/1/2020). Heavy rains caused flooding through Jakarta and its surrounding areas, paralyzing traffic on Jl. Daan Mogot as well as other roads and flooding homes.

Extreme rainfall

In Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), the rainfall was the highest in history. The extreme rain occurred evenly with the highest daily rainfall reaching 377 millimeters recorded at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, East Jakarta on Wednesday.

"The 377 mm daily rainfall is the highest in Jakarta and its surroundings since 1866," said the head of the climate and air quality information division at the BMKG, Siswanto.

The head of the public relations department at the BMKG, Fachri Radjab, said the signs of the extreme weather were not seen in 10-day and monthly weather forecasts. "The chance of heavy rain is still high for the next seven days. The community must still be vigilant," he said.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said the safety of residents should be the main priority in the disaster mitigation efforts. "First, the most important things to do should be those related to the safety of the citizens," the President said at the Yogyakarta presidential palace.

The chance of heavy rain is still high for the next seven days.

The President also ordered the restoration of public facilities that were damaged or affected by floods such as the Jakarta-Cikampek toll toad and Halim Perdanakusuma airport.

The head of the BNPB, Doni Monardo, said the agency and the Jakarta administration had coordinated on the mitigation efforts.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, who monitored floods together with Doni, said the high sea level should be considered in dealing with floods, as in some downstream rivers in Jakarta, the sea level had reached 3 meters higher than in land areas.

On Wednesday morning, according to the Jakarta provincial government data, the floods hit 400 locations in Jakarta, but the number declined to 120 locations on Wednesday evening. Anis ensured that 120,000 officers were deployed in all flood locations.

"Temporary shelters, evacuation team, food, medicine and medical personnel have all been prepared," he said.

Kompas/AGUS SUSANTO

Policemen and soldiers use dinghies to rescue residents at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday (1/1/2020) from Cipinang Melayu in Makasar district, East Jakarta. Heavy rains since Tuesday afternoon (31/12/2019) caused floods to inundate many parts of Jabodetabek (Greater Jakarta) on New Year’s Day.

Different opinion

Anies and Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono have differing opinions regarding the handling of the floods in the capital. Basuki believes that the key to overcoming Jakarta floods permanently is by normalizing the river. He came to such a conclusion after monitoring the floods from the helicopter. He said he did not see overflows along 16 kilometers of the 33-km Ciliwung river flow that had been normalized.

However, Anies said the key to handling the floods was to control the water from upstream areas. “As long as there is no handling in the upstream area, no matter how wide the river is, it won\'t solve the flood problem.”

But Anies appreciated the ministry, which has started to build two dams in upstream areas in Puncak, Bogor, namely Ciawi and Sukamahi. They are also ready to sit together to ensure the synchronization of the master plan for long-term flood resolution.