SDA Agency Continues to Mitigate Ciliwung River Overflow
Reported by Aldi Geri Lumban Tobing | Translated by Maria Inggita
Heavy rainfall in the upstream area since Sunday (3/2) has left several areas in Jakarta inundated. The Katulampa Dam in Bogor has reached Alert Level 1, resulting in increased water discharge from Ciliwung River which overflowed into Jakarta.
"T he pumps must be operated immediately,"
To mitigate this situation, the Jakarta Government opened Ciliwung Crossing Channel in Bidara Cina since Monday (3/3) to overcome this situation.
Jakarta Water Resources (SDA) Agency Acting Head, Ika Agustin Ningrum stated, the crossing channel was opened to reduce the Ciliwung River's water discharge into West Flood Canal.
Overcoming Floods, Governor Pramono Instructs Opening of Sluice Gates"Yesterday afternoon, the water level at Manggarai Sluice Gate reached 800–850 cm. If we hadn't opened the Ciliwung Crossing Channel, water level would have been even higher," she uttered, Wednesday (3/5).
Besides relying on the crossing channel, the Jakarta Government also operates 500 water pumps in 202 locations to control the flood. Her party ensured that all pumps functioned according to Standard Operational Procedures (SOP), although some were rotated to prevent breakdowns due to overwork.
"Since Jakarta's ground is lower than the sea and the river's water level is higher, the pumps must be operated immediately," she asserted.
She noted that all Blue Troops from Water Resources (SDA) Agency had been deployed in the field, including mobile pumps to speed up drainage in flooded areas.
With rain forecasted for the next two days, the Jakarta Government will remain on high alert and coordinate with various parties to address flooding in Jakarta.
However, she mentioned that dredging work has been temporary halted due to the high water level. Dredging will resume once the flooding recedes, aiming to reduce silting in the river.
"The equipment is ready on site, but if the water level remains high, heavy equipment could topple over. So, we will resume dredging once the conditions allow," she said.
