REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The floods that hit Jakarta and surrounding areas last year were worse compared to the same period of this year, a disaster mitigation official said.

"On January 15, 2013, the water level at the Manggarai Water Sluice reached 1,020 cm, while now it is recorded at 960 cm," Head of the Data Information Center of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Saturday.

Thus, water volumes this year were still far below those of last year, the BNPB official asserted. The same condition happened in upstream areas where last year the water level at Katulampa Water Sluice was recorded at 210 cm, the alert I level.

"Now, the water level at the Katulampa water gate has reached 110 cm, or is at the alert III level," Nugroho pointed out.

He explained that his office had earlier taken anticipatory steps to be prepared for rising flood waters. "We have conducted a drill on emergency handling, refugee evacuation, logistics for refugees, gathering tools and other needed equipment. What remains to be done now is to perform what we have planned," Nugroho added.

He said that the Ministry of Public Works had also provided support in reinforcing existing dikes at the West Flood Canal.

"We hope that there will no longer be dikes that are breached by water, so that the amount of flood water will not increase further," Nugroho said.

In Jakarta, torrential rains sent floods into the capital city and caused a number of roads in Jakarta to be cut off on Friday. The floods were worsened by the overflowing of the Ciliwung River at the Manggarai Sluice. Waters inundated roads in Jalan Rasuna Said and Jalan Sudirman, reaching a depth of 5 cm to 10 cm.

The Jakarta Police Traffic Management Center (TMC) also reported that water inundated parts of Jalan Mangga Besar, West Jakarta, areas in front of the Gading apartment, and Jalan Terusan gusti Ngurah Rai in East Jakarta. Parts of Jalan Layur Rawamangung, Matraman and Jalan KRT Radjiman in East Jakarta, as well as Jalan Cikini in Central Jakarta, were also submerged.

Jokowi instructs preparation

In the mean time, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed the staff of the Jakarta Provincial Administration to prepare the logistics to handle flooding, as the water level at the Katulampa Sluice had reached the second grade alert.

"The people were informed that the water level at the Katulampa Sluice gate had reached the Alert-II. So, I have instructed the staff to be ready to handle the situation," Jokowi stated at City Hall.

Jokowi pointed out that all the necessary logistics should be prepared at the earliest, in the wake of any likely flooding, to ensure timely evacuations and efficient disbursal of relief items.

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