The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPNB) predicts peak floods in Jakarta and its surrounding areas will happen in early January 2015. It will also affect hundreds of thousands of people.

We predict flash flood to hit Jakarta in the third week of January 2015

"We predict flash flood to hit Jakarta in the third week of January 2015," said Head of BNPB's Data Information and Public Relations, Sutopo P Nugroho, Monday (11/17).

Nugroho explained prediction refers to the weather forecasts of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). From the information gathered, the peak of heavy rain predicted to happen in the third week of January 2015 until the end of the second week of February 2015.

"The scenarios developed in this contingency plan is a flood disaster in 2014-2015," he expressed.

He uttered, flooding next year will have an impact on 37 sub-districts, 125 urban villages and 634 RWs with a population of approximately 276,999 people. "The number of high risk population is reaching 24,130 people or 25 percent of the total refugee in accordance with our latest data," he exclaimed.

As for the area affected by flood, he continued, is still the same as in previous years. Based on BNPB's record, East Jakarta is still the most vulnerable area affected by flooding.

"According to BNPB's record, East Jakarta is prone to flooding. Its water level would inundate 10 sub-districts, 35 urban villages, 168 RWs, and 607 RTs," he explained.

While in South Jakarta, flooding will inundate 10 sub-districts, 30 urban villages, 83 RWs and 263 RTs, 8 sub-districts, 25 urban villages, 151 RWs and 411 RTs in West Jakarta, as well as 6 sub-districts, 25 urban villages, 194 RWs and 288 RTs in North Jakarta.

"Especially in Central Jakarta, flooding will inundate 3 sub-districts, 10 urban villages, 38 RWs and 168 RTs. For the most at-risk population affected by this disaster would be 122,417 people," he recorded.