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Ice pounds Bandung, storms halt Jakarta
Make way: A man attempts to shift bamboo trees blocking the Permata Hijau arterial road, South Jakarta, following heavy rain in the capital Thursday
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Make way: A man attempts to shift bamboo trees blocking the Permata Hijau arterial road, South Jakarta, following heavy rain in the capital Thursday. The downpours, as usual, caused heavy traffic congestion across the city. (JP/P.J. Leo)
Residents in Bandung and Jakarta were at the mercy of the rainy season Thursday as West Java was pummelled by hail stones and Jakarta struggled with floods, crippling the capital’s traffic network for hours.
Hail storms wracked Bandung, the capital of West Java, and its surroundings Thursday after residents sustained scorching heat from morning until midday. The storm lasted around 30 minutes and was followed by lightning and thunder.
Kiaraconding resident, Iwan Gumilar, 31, said he was surprised to hear the sound of what he thought was pebbles falling on his roof. “I thought a tree fell over or something. When I looked out in front yard, there were ice blocks as large as marbles everywhere,” he said.
Those in vehicles around the Gasibu field and the governor’s office on Jl. Diponegoro were forced to stop their cars for fear the hail stones would shatter their windshields.
In recent years Bandung has experienced a period of hail in every rainy season. The worse incident was in March 2008, when large hail stones damaged many rooftops across the city.
In the last week, Bandung has been subjected to torrential rain almost every afternoon. On Wednesday night, rains triggered floods with strong currents in north, east and south of Bandung. Many trees have reportedly collapsed as well, with one falling onto a car in Antapani, East Bandung.
Bandung’s meteorology and geophysics agency head Jaya Murjaya said hail was a normal phenomenon and not a sign of extreme weather.
“This happens locally, depending on the conditions of an area,” he said.
Residents have complained of increased heat in the city, once renowned for its cool weather.
The city’s maximum temperature today reaches around 31 degrees Celsius, up two degrees from maximum temperatures in 1952.
Jakarta traffic was set into gridlock Thursday afternoon after rain pounded the capital, leaving several streets inundated by water. The rain and heavy wind also triggered dozens of traffic lights to stop working and one tree to fall over, exacerbating traffic jams in the city.
The worst affected area was the Casablanca underpass, South Jakarta at Jl Prof. Dr. Satrio, under Jl. HR Rasuna Said. Official at the Jakarta Traffic Management Center Second Brig. Sulistio Tatak said water reached 30 to 40 centimeters high there, or as high as an adult’s waist. Cars queued up to Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta.
Pools of water around 30 centimeters high were also present in Cawang, East Jakarta, and in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta, causing the street along the toll road jammed.
Traffic at Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, towards Semanggi bridge as well as Pancoran overpass was very densed with cars, both the artery streets and the toll road, Sulistio said.
From Pancoran towards Jl. Pasar Minggu was crowded as well as Jl. HR. Rasuna Said in Kuningan towards Mampang.
There were also long queues of cars and motorcycles from the HI roundabout in Central Jakarta towards Semanggi bridge. Jakartans should prepare for daily showers as rain is expected tolast through March
