After two days of heavy rain, floods paralyzed Jakarta and its buffer towns on Friday to a degree that surely exceeded the flooding of five years ago, which up to this point was considered the worst natural disaster to hit the capital.
Many residential areas that in the past have been flood-free were affected this time around. And people who live in areas where flooding is an annual occurrence suffered more than usual as their houses were under even more water than ever.
Nobody, it seems, could escape nature's wrath Friday. Even the elite housing complex for high state officials in South Jakarta turned into a big pond.
The monetary cost of the floods will be enormous. Thousands of people lost property and many roads and other infrastructure were damaged. These financial losses do not take into account the time and energy wasted by motorists trapped in traffic, or the lost productivity because many employees could not reach their offices.
Floodwaters covered railway tracks, forcing the cancellation of more than 100 trains departing from or heading to Jakarta. A number of flights were either canceled or delayed because passengers could not reach the international airport just outside of Jakarta.
The telecommunications network was partly disrupted, with state phone operator PT Telkom and private operator PT Exelcomindo announcing damages to some facilities.
The annual floods in Jakarta seem to be getting worse and worse as the years go by. Now even a few hours of moderate monsoon rain causes some roads to become inundated, resulting in traffic jams several kilometers long.
Perhaps, though, this should come as no surprise. Jakarta, covering about 64,000 hectares, is located on a low-lying plain dissected by 13 rivers.
Its geographical situation, however, is not an excuse for the repeated floods. Nor is the general perception that flooding in Jakarta is "imported" from Bogor in West Java, where all the rivers running through the capital originate.
The fact is that in many parts of the city, poor drainage was responsible for the floods on Friday. If ever it was needed, this is clear proof of the flawed management of the city, as well as of the ignorance of residents on the need to keep their city clean.
Jakarta taxpayers have spent a lot of money to build and maintain flood control infrastructure, including the budget allocated for the much-awaited construction of the East Flood Canal.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who visited flood victims in East Jakarta on Friday, said the central government would take over the responsibility of dealing with annual floods from the Jakarta administration. Jakartans may praise the initiative, but the policy could be seen as an indictment of the city administration's ability to protect its people.
Though the worst of the flooding appears to be over now, more than 40,000 people have been displaced and are in need of shelter, food and healthcare. The city administration could make amends for its failed flood prevention programs by taking the necessary measures to ease the people's suffering as quickly as possible.
The floods could also worsen the current dengue fever outbreak, which has killed eight people and affected hundreds of others in Jakarta. Other diseases like diarrhea and skin ailments could also spread among those displaced by the floods.
There is, however, a bright side to the disaster. In a show of compassion, many people volunteered to help evacuate those whose houses were affected by the floods, while others donated food and medicine.
Radio stations and TV channels provided continuous updates on the flooding to help those looking for a safe way home, as well as raising funds to assist flood victims.
In the coming days, those displaced by this latest disaster will need assistance to survive and rebuild their homes and lives. Let us continue to work together in a show of the strength and unity of Jakartans.
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