Surabaya's Flood Control Measures Must Refer to Drainage Master Plan : MP

 Surabaya (Antara Jatim) - The Surabaya city government should focus on controlling floods by referring to the city's drainage master plan, a legislator has said.

The city government should seriously address the issue of flooding, triggered by days of heavy rains, in several areas in the city, member of the commission C of the city legislative

council, Vinsesnsius Awey, said on Friday.

 "An elite housing complex in West Surabaya, which has so far been free from such a problem, was flooded this year," he said.

In addition, the flood that affected Wiyung, Babadan, Tandes, and Balas Klumprik areas this year was the worst than any in the previous years, he said.

Water level in the affected areas reached up to one meter, leaving many motorists trapped in flood water, he noted.

The drainage master plan, which was drafted in 2003, is no more relevant to the current condition and it must be revised, he said.

He said the city government should audit the city's spatial layout plan as part of the effort to construct a new drainage system.

This way, the local government can identify the areas prone to flooding and areas that potentially face such a threat, he said.

 By improving the drainage system based on the city's drainage master plan, the local government will hopefully be able to

anticipate any flood situation in the city, he said. (*)