The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) warns people in Jakarta to remain on alert and stay away from big trees and billboards as strong winds, caused by tropical cyclone Narelle, are predicted to continue over the next two days.

BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that although the tropical cyclone had started to move south and leave Indonesian territory, it would still deliver torrential rain, strong winds and high waves in some areas.

“Therefore, we ask people to remain on alert. Please take shelter in sturdy buildings when strong winds and torrential rain come and stay away from trees, billboards or old buildings, too,” he said on Friday.

The strong winds and torrential rain that swept through Jakarta on Thursday afternoon toppled 81 trees. Falling trees damaged three houses, five billboards, nine cars and the canopy over a pedestrian bridge.

Sutopo said that West Jakarta was the worst affected area with 55 fallen trees that damaged five billboards, three houses and four cars. Trees were also blown over in Cengkareng, Grogol, Kalideres, Kebon Jeruk, Kembangan Palmerah, Tamansari and Tambora.

In Central Jakarta, he said that 10 fallen trees had damaged five cars, adding that the winds had uprooted six trees in North Jakarta, four in South Jakarta and six others in East Jakarta.

“The Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency, related agencies and local residents have worked together to remove the fallen trees,” Sutopo said.

Separately, Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo directly checked on the condition of trees around Kramat, Menteng, Pramuka and Senen, all in Central Jakarta.

He also ordered the Jakarta Parks and Cemetery Agency to prune big trees that could endanger people.

“I have ordered the agency to have big trees with dense leaves trimmed, but if the trees are already old, it will be better to cut them down,” he said at City Hall.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), torrential rains with strong winds will continue to hit regions throughout Indonesia, including Greater Jakarta, over the next four days due to the tropical cyclone Narelle.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta-Merak toll road reopened on Friday after flooding submerged the turnpike between kilometer 57 and 59.

Toll road operator PT Marga Mandala Sakti said that vehicles had been able to use the toll road since 1 p.m., as the lowest part of the toll road was no longer inundated.

“The flood waters have subsided to a normal level. However, we still face the problems of heavy traffic congestion and displaced local residents who are using the side of the road as their shelters as their homes are still inundated,” said Sunarto, the company’s operational director.

Thousands of trucks coming from Merak Port in Banten, West Java, meanwhile, were still stuck in a six-kilometer-long traffic jam as of Friday afternoon.

“We hope that the flow of the Ciujung River in Serang, Banten, will return to 300 cubic meters per second so that local residents can return home and traffic on the toll road can return to normal,” Sunarto said. The closure of the toll road has cost the operator Rp 1.6 billion (US$166,060) in lost revenue per day, not including other losses and damages.

Sunarto said that flooding had become an annual problem that often shut down traffic on the toll road.

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