The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that several areas in at least 14 Jakarta districts were still inundated on Saturday afternoon from heavy rainfall that caused the Ciliwung River to overflow at around 6 p.m. on Friday.

In South Jakarta, floods were reported in Cilandak, Kebayoran Lama, Kebayoran Baru, Jagakarsa, Mampang Prapatan, Pesanggrahan, Pasar Minggu and Pancoran.

In West Jakarta, several residential areas were inundated in Kebon Jeruk, Cengkareng, Kembangan and Kalideres, while East Jakarta reported flooding in Kramat Jati and Jatinegara.

The Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) reported that at least 111 houses had been flooded, with waters reaching between 30 and 50 centimeters high. It also said that nine people from two households had been evacuated from their houses and transported to their relatives’ homes.

The Jakarta BPBD said the floodwaters had started to recede on Saturday.

In neighboring Depok, West Java, heavy rains on Saturday morning caused flooding in Sawangan Baru subdistrict, Sawangan district, and in Ratu Jaya subdistrict, Pancoran Mas district. The BNPB said 57 homes had been inundated with flooded, with the water reaching between 50 and 200 cm high.

The Depok Fire and Rescue Agency assisted the 57 affected families to relocate to higher ground.

Flooding occurred on Friday in the districts of Sukaraja, Citeureup, Bojong Gede, Jonggol, Kemang and Cibinong in Bogor regency, West Java, due to heavy rainfall and siltation in the Pesanggrahan River watershed.

According to the Bogor Regency BPBD, as many as 3,891 people from 941 families were affected by the floods as about 941 residential houses and three houses of worship were flooded with water reaching 50 to 100 cm high.

About 209 people in Bogor evacuated out of their homes due to the flooding and by Saturday the residents had returned home as the flood water receded.

Rain forecast

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast light to heavy rainfall in several regions of the country until next weekend.

While most of the country had entered the dry season, the La Niña weather phenomenon was still active, though it was categorized as “weak” this month.

“That condition affects how water vapor is stored in the atmosphere [above] Indonesia,” Guswanto, the agency’s meteorology deputy, said in a statement on Saturday.

He added that the current Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index had also contributed to increased rainfall especially in the country’s western regions Indonesia.

Guswanto said that several other atmospheric phenomena occurring during the same period had contributed to the formation of rain clouds, including the Madden Jullian Oscillation as well as Kelvin and Rossby waves.

He explained that the phenomena had caused winds to converge on the southern parts of Sumatra and the western parts of Java. Meanwhile, warm sea temperatures had increased the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere to increase the potential for rainfall in those areas.

The BMKG has forecast a potential for moderate to heavy rainfall from July 16 to 23 in West Java, Central Java, Central Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, North Maluku, Maluku, West Papua and Papua.

It has forecast potential light to moderate rainfall in Aceh, Jambi, South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and South Sulawesi.

Residents of Greater Jakarta should expect moderate to heavy rainfall with lightning and strong winds in the afternoon, especially in the region’s west, east and south.

Guswanto also urged the public to be on the alert for potential hydrometeorological disasters caused by heavy rainfall, such as floods and landslides, while being ready for drought during the dry season.

“We should conserve and use water wisely so we can face the drought caused by the dry season,” he said.

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