Flood Affect 1,270 Families in Tangerang

Tengerang, Banten (Antara) - A total of 1,270 families have been affected by floods that have inundated the four housing complexes in Tangerang District, Banten Province, with the water reaching up to 2.5 meters high. "About 1,270 families have been affected by the floods across four housing complexes," stated Iksan Bakti, chairman of Tangerang's Tagana, a local youth disaster alert unit, here on Wednesday. He pointed out that floods had affected Ciledug Indah 1 housing complex with 500 families, home affairs ministry's DDN housing with 200 families, Puri Cipondoh Asri (70 families) and Total Persada (500 families). "The worse affected is the Total Persada housing complex with flood waters reaching up to 2.5 meters high" Iksan added. A number of main roads in Jakarta are still inundated with the rain continuing to pour from Tuesday night until Wednesday morning. The water is as deep as 50 centimeters in some places paralyzing traffic, stated the city Disaster Control Agency (BPBD) here on Wednesday. In western Jakarta, at Jalan Daan Mogot, the main arterial road linking Jakarta and its satellite city of Tangerang, the water is 20 centimeter deep. In eastern Jakarta at Jalan Otista Kebon Nanas Utara 2, the road is 50 centimeters below the water. Traffic has been paralyzed due to flooding in South Jakarta with several roads submerged under water. The floodwater is 50 centimeters deep at Jalan Pulo Mawar and Jalan Raya Fatmawati and 20 centimeters at Jalan Permata Hijau and Jalan Prapatan Pancoran . In Central Jakarta, Jalan Kali Pasir Cikini and Jalan Baturaja Tanah Abang were inundated with water 40 centimeters deep and Jalan Bendungan Hilir was 20 - 30 centimeters below water. Incessant rains have caused great inconvenience for workers and travelers in Jakarta over the past three weeks. Hundreds of people have had to be evacuated from several badly hit areas. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has reported that some 137 people have died and 1.1 million have been evacuated due to floods and landslides in Indonesia since early this month. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho stated in a press release on Tuesday that floods and landslides may continue to occur until March, due to normal rain patterns in the country, with its peak expected between January and March, except in Maluku and Halmahere where the peak rainfall occurs between June and July. Sutopo added that based on BNPB's preliminary data, a total of 182 hydro-meteorological disasters such as floods, landslides and tornadoes occurred this month. (*)