Thursday`s floods inundated industrial areas in East Jakarta with flood waters reaching a level between 20 cm and 100 cm.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) said that the Jakarta floods had paralyzed at least 300 factories.

"About 300 factories totally stopped production but we have not yet received confirmation on a plan to relocate them because floods also cut off our communications and electricity supplies," Deputy Chairman of Kadin Jakarta, Sarman Simanjorang said.

Thursday`s floods inundated industrial areas in East Jakarta with flood waters reaching a level between 20 cm and 100 cm. As a result, at least 300 factories stopped operations.

He said that the losses incurred as a result of the stoppage of the factories` operations were estimated at Rp1.5 billion per day.

The Kadin official expressed hope that government would help overcome the problem soon, even if businesses had not yet decide to relocate their factories.

He said that businesses were concerned as floods disturbed production activities and the distribution of goods produced by their factories.

"Many employers complained of the floods which caused their employees and workers to stay off the offices and factories so that production activities are disturbed," Sarman said.

In addition, floods also delayed financial and business transactions to serve business world. Businesses therefore, hoped the central and regional governments to coordinate in coping with the flood problems in the capital city, he said.

Earlier, Minister of Industry Ms Hidayat expressed hope the floods would not affect industrial areas. He recommended that, if possible, industrial activities should be done in one industrial area.

"I recommended that all industrial activities should be done in one industrial area," he said.

Major floods hit Jakarta on Thursday. About 15,447 people in were forced to evacuate following the floods that have hit the capital since Tuesday (Jan 15).

"Up till now floods have caused five casualties," spokesman to National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Office and daily activities in Jakarta were almost completely paralyzed as floodwaters hit the capital city and inundated its roads.

Traffic jams were seen in various parts of the city as vehicles struggled to move on the flooded roads. Many two-wheelers faced engine trouble and had to be pushed along.

One of the main roads of the city, Jalan Thamrin, was severely flooded, while many other roads in Central Jakarta, including the National Monument (Monas) square, were also submerged. People employed at offices along these roads found it hard to reach their workplaces.

Trains services were also disrupted. Commuter trains from Depok had to stop in Manggarai railway station, while others such as those serving the Serpong-Jakarta route stopped at Pondok Ranji and Pal Merah stations.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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