Floods continue to inundate Jakarta

Floods which have inundated some parts of Jakarta since Wednesday, did not subside on Thursday, forcing a number of residents to continue to take refuge in emergency camps.

The Jakarta Police`s Traffic Management Center reported here on Thursday morning that floodwaters hampered traffic in Jakarta.

In North Jakarta, the floods submerged Kapuk Raya street at a height of 40 centimeters, Plumpang street at 25 cm, Teluk Gong (20 cm), Muara Baru Ujung (20 cm), and RE Martadinata (20 cm).

The floods also affected Lt. Gen. Suprapto street (Central Jakarta) at a height of 50 cm, Perintis Kemerdeekan street (East Jakarta), Dan Mogot (West Jakarta, and Pangeran Jayakarta (Central Jakarta).

Densely populated residential areas in Central Jakarta, which were flooded, included Bukit Duri (100 cm high), Pejaten Timur (100 cm), Petogogan (50 cm), Pengadean (40 cm) and Tanjung Barat (40 cm).

In East Jakarta, the worst-affected residential areas were Kampung Pulo, Bidaracina, and Cawang. Hundreds of people have been forced to take refuge to safer areas as the floodwaters reach a height of up to 2 meters.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Wednesday inspected the Jakarta city administration`s preparations to cope with floods as incessant downpours have continued to fall over the last two days.

The head of state held a meeting with officials of the Jakarta city administration at the Jakarta public works office.

At the meeting, the president asked Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo to make a presentation on the capital city`s preparedness in facing floods.

He also asked the head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Office (BMG), Sri Woro B Harijano, to give him a forecast on the current rainy season.

The President instructed the Jakarta city authorities to make serious preparations for dealing with inundations and to pay attention to the BMG`s weather forecasts.