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Jakarta braces for upcoming rainy season
The agency started flood prevention efforts in July by, among other things, clearing debris from several bodies of water like rivers, reservoirs, drainage ditches and lakes.
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The Jakarta administration is bracing for the upcoming rainy season by undertaking several measures to prevent severe flooding in the capital city, which is a perennial problem. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he Jakarta administration is bracing for the upcoming rainy season by undertaking several measures to prevent severe flooding in the capital city, which is a perennial problem.
The head of the Jakarta Water Resources Agency, Juaini Yusuf, said his agency was ready to face this year’s rainy season. The agency started flood prevention efforts in July by, among other things, clearing debris from several bodies of water like rivers, reservoirs, drainage ditches and lakes.
“Since July we have been clearing large bodies of water in the capital city in order to raise their water capacity and prevent flooding,” Juaini told a press conference on Thursday.
He explained that the agency has also prepared 400 water pumps, both stationary and mobile, in 145 locations across Jakarta.
“We check the pumps regularly to make sure they are ready to be brought to flood-prone areas,” he said, adding that the agency had also deployed 7,800 people to manage pump houses and clear the rivers.
Juaini also said the agency had dug about 800 absorption wells and was planning to create a total of 1,000 wells by December. He claimed that the wells had helped reduce the number of areas where water tended to pool in the capital city from 30 to 15.
Meanwhile, the head of the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Subejo, said his agency had prepared for the upcoming rainy season by educating residents living in flood-prone areas.
“We have created a map that shows evacuation routes and shelter locations in the flood-prone areas and we have informed and educated the residents about them,” he said, adding that an early-warning system had also been activated.
The agency has also prepared all supplies and equipment needed in case of floods, like tents and other basic requirements of evacuees.
Subejo said that currently there are 25 subdistricts prone to flooding. Among them are Rawa Buaya, Tegal Alur and South Kedoya in West Jakarta, Petogogan, Cipulir and Pondok Pinang in South Jakarta, Bidara Cina, Cililitan and Cawang in East Jakarta and Pluit and Penjaringan in North Jakarta. (nal)
