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Traffic to worsen in Jakarta as rainy days come
After a momentary lull in the traffic during the Idul Fitri holidays, Jakarta residents are having to deal with a return to the usual jams that could be made worse by the advent of the rainy season
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fter a momentary lull in the traffic during the Idul Fitri holidays, Jakarta residents are having to deal with a return to the usual jams that could be made worse by the advent of the rainy season.
Rains across parts of Greater Jakarta caused severe traffic congestion over the past few days.
“In Jakarta, even an hour of heavy rain can flood the streets,” Hary Tirto Djatmiko, head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency's (BMKG) information division, said Monday.
The jams were made worse by traffic lights that were not functioning since Sept. 29 due to a fire that gutted an electricity substation in Cawang, East Jakarta.
Hary said the southern part of Greater Jakarta was in the transition period from the dry season to the rainy season, which began at the start of the month, while in the northern part, the transition would begin next month.
The rain affected areas include southern parts of the capital, Serang, Tangerang and Bekasi.
The northern part of Greater Jakarta includes the northern part of the capital, southeastern Serang, northern Tangerang, northern Bekasi and Depok.
Hary predicted light showers of one to three hours long over the next few days.
“The rains are likely to fall during the day and before nightfall,” he said.
The worst, he warned, had yet to come, with the BMKG predicting an increased rainfall rate over the next few months until December.
Hary said not many areas were at risk of flooding during this time because the rainfall rate was expected to be of a moderate intensity, ranging from 101 to 300 millimeters a month.
However, the rainfall rate is calculated monthly, Hary pointed out, thus not ruling out the possibility of heavy rains.
The BMKG is also predicting that in December, 25 districts in Jakarta will face a moderate risk of flooding.
During the rainy season, many parts of Jakarta frequently experience floods.
Squatters living along Ciliwung riverbanks, including in Kampung Pulo and Bukit Duri in East Jakarta, have already made their annual preparations.
“The residents of Kampung Pulo and Bukit Duri have begun moving their electronic equipment to the second floors of their houses,” said Lucia Ken Ayu, spokeswoman for Sanggar Ciliwung Merdeka, a community organization for the Ciliwung squatters. (mrs)
