Here They Are: 5 Causes of Flood in North Jakarta

North Jakarta Administration revealed that there are five causes of flooding and inundation in 95 percent of the flooded regions with water level between 30-150 cm, Monday (2/9) and Tuesday (2/19).

Moreover, all the rivers in Jakarta experienced silting and strewn with trash. That's why the water overflows and inundates the residential areas

First, the inundation caused by 13 rivers that empty into North Jakarta have not been equipped with embankment. It causes high water due to heavy rain and floodwaters from upstream overflowed.

North Jakarta Mayor, Rustam Effendi disclosed that the good embankment solely built in the East Flood Canal, West Flood Canal, and Cengkareng Drain. While the other, having a wide and deep that is not ideal to accommodate the water flow from upstream and rainfall.

Flood in Jakarta Receded Drastically

"Moreover, all the rivers in Jakarta experienced silting and strewn with trash. That's why the water overflows and inundates the residential areas," he expressed, Sunday (2/15).

Second, the land subsidence due to uncontrollable use of groundwater thus the sea levels is higher than the land. Moreover, the coastline of Jakarta does not have adequate embankment as a tidal wave barrier, and also the rivers that empties into North Jakarta directly connected to the sea without sluice gate.

Third, the condition of drainage is unoptimal. It causes many micro and connecting channels strewn with mud, trash, and illegal buildings.

Fourth, the existence of water absorption region is very rare, while the unoptimal dams to accommodate water. Most of them are silting and used as residential by people. As a matter of fact, those regions are still under construction, such as Marunda and Rorotan Dams.

Last is the average water pump is old and has a very low capacity, between 1-6 cubic meters per second. It makes the pump function slowly while disposing water from the river to the sea.

"The pumps highly depend on the PLN's electricity which is fused with a connection to the neighborhood. Once the PLN turns off the substation, it will have an impact on the pump," he explained.

Effendi exemplified the power outage in Pluit area, Penjaringan, which also has stopped the Pluit Dam's pump house on Monday (2/9) at 11.45 PM to 3.45 PM, causing water volume has increased dramatically because some pumps that can be turned on using the generator. As a result, the rainwater hit some sites in North Jakarta.

"Hence, we wanted the rivers all over Jakarta to be arranged, ranging from dam until sheet pile construction plus inspection road on the sides," he uttered.