The Jakarta Metropolitan Police's Traffic Management Center revealed on Friday morning that the submerged road sections included those in West Jakarta, such as Panjang Street in front of a McDonald outlet and Daan Mogot Street in front of Indosiar Building.
As of Friday at 4:57 a.m. local time, the floodwaters on Panjang Street in front of a McDonald outlet had reached 40 to 50 centimeters in height, while Daan Mogot Street was swamped with floodwaters estimated to reach 40-80 centimeters high as of 4:59 a.m. local time.
"Hence, at the moment, the road sections are highly risky for vehicles to pass by," the police cautioned.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as of Friday morning, the death toll owing to floods inundating several areas in Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok, Bogor City, Bogor District, Tangerang City, South Tangerang District, and Lebak District over the past three days has reached 43.
Nine of the dead were Jakarta's residents: M. Ali (82), Siti Hawa (72), Willi Surahman, Sutarmi (73), Agus (19), Sanusi, Arfiqo Alif (16), Yuda Irawan (29), and Susanti. Among them were those who died of drowning and electric shock.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast torrential rains to pelt the areas of South and East Jakarta on Friday afternoon, so local residents were advised to exercise caution in the face of any unexpected eventuality.
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In response to the impacts of flash floods submerging several parts of the provinces of West Java, Banten, and Jakarta, House of Representatives' (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani called on the government to conduct a comprehensive emergency response operation.
Maharani expressed deep condolences to the families of those killed in this week's flash floods.
"In every catastrophe, rescuing the victims should remain our priority," she noted in a press statement made available to ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday (Jan 2).
To this end, Maharani highlighted the need to prioritize the rescue and evacuation of those trapped in risky places, adding that the emergency response operations should be conducted comprehensively in all affected areas.
The comprehensive operations encompass rescuing the victims, building temporary shelters and public kitchens, securing displaced people's houses and properties, and adopting precautionary and preventive measures to deal with flood-related diseases, she remarked.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and all related ministries and government agencies were also called on to make utmost efforts to help those in need and restore the affected areas at the earliest, she noted.
The House appealed to all related parties to work synergistically to appropriately handle the impact of flooding, and those involved in these collaborative endeavors should give top priority to the public’s interests, she explained.
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Translator: Benardy F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
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