Kampung Apung Inundated Again, 4 Houses Collapsed

Four houses at Kampung Apung, RT 10/01, Kapuk Urban Village, Cengkareng Sub-District, West Jakarta, collapsed after inundated for 24 years.

Since August until now, four houses had collapsed

Juhri (56), a resident of RT 10/01 Kapuk, disclosed that when Kampung Apung was dried up in last June, the residents had intended to repair their houses. However, the plan was canceled because their houses are inundated again for almost two meters high until now.

“Since August until now, four houses had collapsed. The last house collapsed on Sunday (11/23), it belongs to Syafei (65). Only the back of the house that collapsed, but if it was not immediately repaired, it would surely collapse again,” he said, Monday (11/24).

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Responding on this matter, Head of West Jakarta Water Management Public Works Sub-Department Planning Section, Santo, explained that Kampung Apung is inundated again not because of the Rp 2.6 billion worth Kapuk Raya water channel repair work not functioning, but it is because its geographical location which is lower than the water channel. That includes Kapuk Teko Public Cemetery (TPU), which also inundated by the water.

“We had dried up the area in June 2014. But since the tombs are not relocated, they are inundated again. If the tombs had been relocated, we will dredge the land and turn it into road trace,” he stated.

Seeing recent condition, Santo continued, Kampung Apung dry up process is predicted would take two months considering the area has been covered by water hyacinths. That means, if West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department ready by the end of this month, Kampung Apung would be organized early next year.

“The point is that we are ready to dry the area again. After that, we hope for the arrangement to be done immediately, or at least the land is dredged first, so the houses would not be inundated again and collapse,” he uttered.

Meanwhile, Head of West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department, M Yusmardi, admitted that the relocation of 3,810 tombs in Kapuk Teko TPU is still being discussed. But, he is pessimistic it could be done this year.

“The City Budget (APBD) date line is December 15, while the (Kapuk Teko TPU tombs) relocation budget, which just inserted in the City Budget Amendment (APBDP), was just disbursed in November 10. So, the possibility of tombs relocated this year is small,” he told.

Even so, Yusmardi is optimistic that the tombs relocation could be quickly realized if it was done massively.

“If want quick, we would relocate (the tombs) massively. Thus, the dredging would be faster and less expensive. But, most of the heirs want the tombs to be relocated one by one. That’s why please be patient,” he expressed.