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Floods or No, Fauzi Claims Success
Dofa Fasila | February 21, 2012

Residents wade through a flooded street in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, on Sunday. The flooding is due to heavy rains in the area that started on Saturday night. (JG Photo/Safir Makki) Residents wade through a flooded street in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, on Sunday. The flooding is due to heavy rains in the area that started on Saturday night. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)
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Parts of the capital remain flooded, but that hasn’t stopped Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo from claiming success in overcoming the problem.

In the most recent inundations to hit the city on Sunday, Fauzi said, areas that are usually hit the hardest by floodwaters recovered faster than normal.

For example, he said, take South Jakarta’s Pondok Labu. According to the governor, floodwaters that would normally need two days to recede were gone in just 10 hours.

What’s more, Fauzi said, reports from subdistrict heads were indicating that all areas that experienced flooding between 20 and 90 centimeters deep needed just six hours to return to normal.

The Jakarta administration has prepared public kitchens and health posts for residents fleeing floods. The alert status at several posts is reportedly Level 3, two up from normal.

“But as of this morning the posts have accepted few people because some residents have two-story houses,” Fauzi said.

According to the governor, the city had figured out the most effective solutions for dealing with flooding in previous years, and that was the reason for the improvements.

Ery Basworo, head of Jakarta’s public works agency, said the overflow of the Ciliwung River had inundated Cawang, Bidara Cina, Kampung Melayu, Kebon Baru, Bukit Duri and Jati Pinggir, with water levels reaching 20 to 120 centimeters.

Areas inundated along the Krukut River were Pondok Labu and Petogogan, with water levels of around 20 to 90 centimeters, he said.

Jalan Raya Bogor and East Bekasi were hit with overflow from the Kali Baru river, according to Ery. Houses in Cipinang Melayu and Makasar were submerged because of the overflowing Sunter River, with the water receding seven hours later.

In 2007 the areas were typically submerged for 11 hours.

Floodwaters 20 to 60 centimeters high inundated the Ciracas and Cibubur areas for seven hours as a result of the Cipinang River overflowing, Ery said.

A Status 3 alert level usually means several areas will be submerged, he added.

However, there were no pools of water on Sunday because the public works agency had operated water pumps in Bidara Cina, Kebon Baru, Jati Pinggir and Pondok Labu, he said.