In 2007 the worst floods in memory inundated about 70 percent of the city, killed at least 57 people and sent about 450,000 fleeing their houses. In 2008, floods inundated 37 of 267 subdistricts in Jakarta in more than 40 centimeters of water. The Sedyatmo toll road to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport was also flooded and nearly 1,000 flights were delayed or diverted and 259 were cancelled.Last year, the level of rainfalls in Jakarta was higher than those of 2008, reaching similar levels to that which fell in 2007. However, the floods inundated only a few areas in more than 40 centimeters of water. The relative mildness of the 2009 floods was in part a result of the effectiveness of several strategic measures including dredging the river, reinforcing the Pluit, Sunter and Riario dams, and the development of the East Flood Canal. Interestingly, this year’s floods in Jakarta inundate...