There was no serious damage; the complex was just flooded. The floodwaters are now receding.."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Presidential spokesman Julian Pasha has stated that no serious damage was caused to the State Palace complex as it was inundated by floodwaters on Thursday morning after incessant rainfall the previous night.
"There was no serious damage; the complex was just flooded. The floodwaters are now receding, but the State House still has some shallow floodwaters," he said here on Thursday.
The State House, situated between the Presidential Palace and the State Palace, was worst hit by the flood in the area.
Due to the flood, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had to reschedule his bilateral meeting with Argentine President Cristina Elisabet Fernandez De Kirchner, which was to be held from 10.30 am to 12 pm.
President Yudhoyono was wearing a blue shirt while reviewing a number of areas at the flooded palace complex. Then he rolled up his grey track pants knee-high and looked around the palace complex. The President was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, who was wearing a suit.
Marty had come to the palace to attend a bilateral meeting between the delegations of Indonesia and Argentina.
After the bilateral meeting, President Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono conducted a tour around some of the flooded areas in Jakarta, such as Kalibata, Rawajati village, East Jakarta.
President Yudhoyono toured around the city aboard an inflatable boat, accompanied by the First Lady, Indonesian Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo, Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, Social Affairs Minister Salim Al-Jufri Segaf and Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto.
The flood-affected residents of the city expressed enthusiasm to see the head of state from close quarters.
Being extremely vulnerable to flooding, Rawajati village was severely affected by the floods this time.
Torrential rain has been lashing Jakarta since Thursday morning, inundating many important roads of the city and causing traffic congestion.
(A050/KR-BSR/O001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
