Thousands of homes flooded after heavy rain hits Jakarta
Featured image: Rescue operations in Jakarta - February 21, 2017. Credit: BNPB
Heavy rains hit Indonesian capital Jakarta on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, flooding thousands of homes and causing traffic chaos. At least 1 person has been killed and more than 110 displaced.
More than 180 mm (7 inches) of rain was reported within 24 hours in Jakarta between February 20 and 21, 2017, flooding 54 areas of the city. The most affected were South, East and North Jakarta, with many areas of East Jakarta under 1.5 m (5 feet) of water. In Cipinang Muara district, also in the city's east, the water was reportedly as deep as 2.5 m (8.2 feet).
Local media reported traffic chaos throughout the city, cars left stranded on roads and at least one casualty in Bekasi.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the floods in Jakarta occur because the city's drainage system cannot accommodate the overflowing water.
Relawan terus lakukan evakuasi masyarakat yg terendam banjir. Perahu karet diperlukan untuk evakuasi warga. @jokowi @Pak_JK @BNPB_Indonesia pic.twitter.com/CDmOd4CW5k
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) February 21, 2017
Banjir di Cipinang Muara terus meningkat. Masyarakat dievakuasi. Di beberapa tempat tinggi banjir 2,5 m. @jokowi @Pak_JK @BNPB_Indonesia pic.twitter.com/4ltTAN8P2o
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) February 21, 2017
Banjir di Jl Pemuda depan Arion. Drainase tidak mampu menampung aliran permukaan. pic.twitter.com/dQHbjXkm6R
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) February 21, 2017
Tidak usah berpolemik istilah banjir atau genangan. Sebenarnya sama saja. Intinya itu merugikan masyarakat. Harus kita atasi bersama. pic.twitter.com/a7aMcgmhoO
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_BNPB) February 21, 2017
After the floods in 2013, in which more than two dozen people in Jakarta were killed, the city has reduced the number of flood-prone areas, but floods and deadly landslides are still a fact of life in the country.
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