From one man-made disaster to another…
here come the floods
Meidyatama Suryodiningrat ; Chief editor of The Jakarta
Post
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JAKARTA
POST, 22 November 2015
As haze blanketed many
parts of Southeast Asia, the nation a few weeks ago was praying for a divine
downpour of rain. Now people expect the worse each time the clouds gather
dark.
Yes, it is that time
of the year again. A time to complain, question and suffer on account of our
own stupidity.
In the last fortnight,
many Jakartans had a taste of what was, and what will be again in the coming
three months. Just a half-day of rains and water up to the knees in a city
submerged in chaos.
Memories of dread
recollect floods of recent memory.
In the first week of
January 1996, incessant rain flooded the city. A month later three days of
rain, about five times the normal downpour nearly sank Jakarta. More than 500
homes were swept away, as tens of thousands had to take temporary shelter
elsewhere.
Then in 2007 more than
half the city was inundated in the first week of February. A ceaseless day of
rain combined with very poor drainage and reduced waterways gave Jakarta no
chance in facing the deluge.
There were at least 80
flood-related deaths within a 10-day period. Losses were estimated to run above
Rp 4 trillion (then US$439.56 million).
Five years later, also
in the month of February, then Jakarta governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo faced
his biggest test as the capital was left paralyzed. Strategic areas were shut
down when the sluice gates of the Cipinang River broke, flooding Central
Jakarta.
The Meteorology,
Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts that the peak of rainy
season will again occur late January through February.
There is almost an
expectation that things may get bad. The only question is, how bad?
With MRT construction
taking place all over the city, there is reason to fear the worse.
Jakarta Governor
Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said in late 2014 that the revitalization of
Jakarta’s waterways and rivers would be complete by 2016. But most recently,
due to various complications in the field, he has backtracked, saying that
projects, such as the one at the Ciliwung River, will not be completed by
2017.
Nevertheless, there is
more ground to be hopeful.
The work on the canals
should help mitigate potential disaster. There also seems to be better
anticipation and coordination now between relevant agencies, not just in the
capital but across the country.
The National Disaster
Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has allocated Rp 150 billion ($11 million) for flood
and landslide prevention and mitigation efforts in the upcoming rainy season.
And a national action plan on floods and landslides has also been put into
effect.
These are, of course,
the minimum that should be done. These sort of disasters are classified as
“slow onset”, which can be predicted, even if not always prevented.
Some 274 regencies,
covering over 40 million people, have been placed in medium to high potential
for landslides or floods.
Flooding in the capital
itself is not a new phenomenon. A major flood occurred in then Batavia, for
example in 1618 during the reign of Dutch governor Jan Pieterszoon Coen.
The floods prompted
him to construct many of the drainage being used today.
In its origin, Batavia
was constructed on swamp and low-lying land, hence it should not be a
surprise that flooding has become a regular occurrence.
Jakarta Bay is also a
release for major waterways. During high tide, there is no where for the
flowing water to go except back inland.
These are, of course,
all challenges that are solvable, but have not been and actually exacerbated
by our own negligence.
The depth and width of
Jakarta’s waterways has actually shrunk due to poor management, garbage and
slum housing on their banks.
The city produces over
7,000 tons of garbage daily, about the size of four soccer fields. Much of
that goes into the rivers.
About 24 tons of trash
is collected at the Manggarai sluice gates daily.
The sedimentation has
reduced the depth of rivers, while the average width of rivers running across
the city is now at just 5 meters. Krukut River, for example, is now just half
the 10 meters it originally began with.
It is no secret that
unceasing construction is causing Jakarta to sink further.
It is estimated that
the city has the highest rate of depreciation, sinking 5 centimeters
annually.
Jakarta’s main
drainage system is only now beginning to get a serious 21st century makeover.
Much of the construction dates back to the days of the Dutch colonial
governor.
The current capacity
of accommodating about 50-60 millimeters of rainfall per hour is far below
the minimum required 80 mm for a city like Jakarta.
These are all problems
residents have known for a long time. And our culture of indiscipline is also
something we have continued to foster rather than shed.
In the end, may of the
problems we face are those of our own doing. This is likely something we can
blame on nature.
Hopefully society has
reached a tipping point where it realizes the need for change. In the
meantime, keep those umbrellas high and try to keep your socks dry. ●
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