JAKARTA ~

The drainage system in Jakarta is unable to store high volume of rainwater, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

“The flash floods in Jakarta on Sunday (February 8) were not caused by the overflow of major rivers, but by the failure of the drainage system to store water from the incessant heavy rains,” Nugroho explained on Wednesday.

According to him, waterways in Jakarta are able to drain only 50 to 60 millimeters of rainwater per day, while on February 8, the level of rainfall had reached 177 millimeters.

The major rivers in Jakarta did not overflow that day, he affirmed.

Nugroho further noted that water in some rivers, including Ciliwung, Cisadane, Pesanggrahan, Sunter, and Angke, were at safe levels that day (Sunday), and estimated to have risen only to alert level three.

Moreover, the BNPB has set up 28 tactical command posts to handle the flood crisis in the capital city.

“The command posts were set up mid-January,” the BNPB spokesman pointed out on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, some 1,981 personnel from different forces have been deployed to evacuate flood victims, according to the Jakarta Police.

“Some 1,981 police, army and search and rescue agency personnel are evacuating people to safer places,” Jakarta Police Spokesperson Commissioner Martinus Sitompul said.

Martin noted that joint personnel have been deployed in locations such as Jakarta, Tangerang, and Bekasi.

The Jakarta Police have set up a crisis center and arranged 29 boats, 16 trucks, 12 life vests, two water pumping units, and four canoes for rescue operations.

Around 259 locations have been inundated by floodwaters 10 to 210 centimeters high.

Meanwhile, some 5,986 Jakarta residents have been forced to evacuate to safer places as floods continued to inundate the capital city on Tuesday, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“Some 5,986 people have taken shelter in 14 locations. Their number might increase as we are awaiting more data from field officers,” BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho stated here Tuesday.

According to the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Office, floods have affected some 307 neighborhoods in 97 urban villages in 33 subdistricts.

“Some 4,830 families comprising 15,517 people have been affected as floods inundated their houses. Around 5,986 people have taken refuge in temporary shelters,” he stated.

Of the total flood-affected neighborhoods, some 108 neighborhoods in 23 urban villages across eight subdistricts are located in West Jakarta. Some 2,738 families comprising 8,237 people have been affected by floods.

“Around 1,668 people have been evacuated in two locations. In Central Jakarta, 11 neighborhoods in eight urban villages in six subdistricts have been inundated. However, there has not been any evacuation,” he revealed.

In South Jakarta, floods have hit 38 neighborhoods in 21 urban villages in seven subdistricts, affecting 7,280 people and 2,092 families.

In East Jakarta, 60 neighborhoods in 27 urban villages across seven subdistricts have been flooded. Some 1.8 thousand refugees have been accommodated in six temporary shelters.

At least 89 neighborhoods in 18 urban villages in five subdistricts have been flooded in North Jakarta, forcing 2,518 people to seek shelter in six locations.