City tackles flood better than 2007

Governor Fauzi Bowo claimed the city managed the annual flood better than it did in 2007, the last time the city was hit by a big flood, thanks to dredging canals and rivers prior to the rainy season.

“We have facts and data that state the success of controlling floods,” he said Friday.

He said the height of water at Katulampa water gate in Bogor, West Java, reached 4 meters last weekend, higher than that in 2007.

The prediction that the city would suffer serious flood problems was not proved because the capacity of the West Flood Canal (BKB) and rivers were larger after the dredging activity, he added.

Meanwhile, water from the East Flood Canal, which connected six rivers, could flow to the sea late last year although the construction in some sections had not finished.
 
“Although the dredging activity was not at a maximum, it helped flow the water to the sea,” he said.

Fauzi said according to the data, in 2007 water inundated areas prone to flooding for 72 hours.

During the rain last week, the water flowed for less than 14 hours.