Pondok Labu Pioneers Smart Flood Warning System to Bolster Urban Resilience

Residents living in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta, have introduced the Smart Flood Warning System, an innovative early warning tool designed to bolster flood mitigation in residential neighborhoods.

We want to ensure residents get a head start

Pondok Labu Urban Village Head, Nachnoer Vernier Atom, expressed the innovation was pioneered by Muhammad Azzuhri Ramdhani, a member of the RT 02/10 Karang Taruna Youth Organization. The idea sparked after Ramdhani attended disaster management training organized by the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).

"After attending the BPBD training, he was inspired to create a flood detection device, especially since he lives in a flood-prone area," he said, Monday (7/20).

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Nachnoer explained that Pondok Labu is one of South Jakarta's most flood-prone areas, with the devastating 2020 floods seeing water levels surge to nearly two meters.

He noted that the neighborhood is "sandwiched" between the Grogol and Krukut rivers, making residential zones highly vulnerable to overflowing banks during heavy rainfall.

"In RT 01/10 alone, 540 people were affected. In the neighboring RT 02/10, we have 120 more families who are currently in the potential strike zone," he explained.

As the initial stage, two Smart Flood Warning System units have been installed in RT 01 and 02/10. These locations were prioritized as they are the hardest hit by the Grogol River’s overflow and are also home to the project's innovator.

"We plan to scale up the installation to other flood hotspots, leveraging CSR programs and strategic partnerships with various stakeholders," he added.

The mastermind behind the Smart Flood Warning System, 23-year-old Muhammad Azzuhri Ramdhani, explained that the idea was born from brainstorming sessions with tech-savvy peers in the Karang Taruna youth group after attending BPBD's disaster training.

"We designed and installed this pilot project in RT 02/RW 10 to serve as a model for the entire Pondok Labu area," he detailed.

He shared that before the system’s debut, flood alerts relied on manual methods—ranging from sounding traditional wooden slit drums (kentongan) and mosque loudspeakers to clanging on electric poles.

"These traditional methods proved ineffective, especially during nighttime storms, as the warnings often failed to reach every resident in time," he added.

According to Azzuhri, the devices were assembled from recycled parts sourced from the locals. The pilot unit in RT 02 was funded by the community treasury and the Karang Taruna Youth Organization in late 2024, while the second unit received backing from FIF Group’s CSR initiative.

Highlighting the urgency, he explained that just 30 minutes of heavy rain can result in floodwaters reaching 50 centimeters.

"We want to ensure residents get a head start. Floods don't ask for permission to strike, but our people deserve a fair warning," he closed.