"Actually we already had embankments to banish the coastal flood. We have also covered the river to avoid water getting in it," Semarang city’s Regional Secretary Iswar Aminuddin informed in Semarang on Friday.
In case of local rains, his party has prepared a pump house to drain water into the sea from the estuaries of rivers, such as the Semarang, Sringin, and Tenggang Rivers.
However, regarding the phenomenon of the new moon cycle, his party still needs to gauge the potential for coastal flooding, especially in the Tambak Lorok area.
"For the Tambak Lorok area, we want to build a sea wall funded by the state budget and the implementation will be carried out by the Center of River Basin. We will help in the land acquisition," he added.
Aminuddin informed that the land acquisition process is currently on and is targeted for completion in February–March 2023 so that the development of the coastal area of Semarang city can begin without delay.
"The field map and the socialization have been completed; right now, we are in the appraisal process," he said.
Earlier, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) asked the public to remain alert for coastal flooding that could potentially occur in several areas of Indonesia during the new moon phase.
"The super new moon phenomenon coincides with a perigee (closest distance of the moon to the Earth) on January 21, 2023, and has the potential to increase the maximum sea level," Head of the BMKG's Maritime Meteorology Center Eko Prasetyo disclosed.
Based on data monitoring of water level and predictions of tides, there is potential for coastal flooding in several parts of Indonesia, including the coasts of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Lampung, the Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung, and the north coast of Jakarta.
Other areas with potential for flooding include the coasts of West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, North Maluku, Maluku, North Papua, and South Papua.
"The potential for coastal flood varies from time of day and hour in each region; in general, it has an impact on community activities around the port and the coast," Prasetyo added.
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Translator: Zuhdiar Laeis, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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