"Today, we will continue monitoring and running a public kitchen to prepare food for the refugees," Director of Social Protection of Natural Disasters Victims at the Ministry of Social Affairs Margo Wiyono stated here on Friday.
The ministry is just coordinating the monitoring efforts and is providing support since the Jakarta Administration is capable of dealing with the disaster, he affirmed.
The ministry, however, has set up public kitchens in East and South Jakarta.
"Initially, there were only 500 refugees, but Pengadegan, South Jakarta, also requested a public kitchen as the number of refugees has increased to two thousand," he noted.
According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), some 16,423 people were affected by the floods that submerged parts of East and South Jakarta on Thursday.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a BNPB spokesman, reported that in Rawa Jati and Bidara Cina urban villages, the floodwaters had reached heights ranging between 30 centimeters to a meter while in Kampung Melayu and Cawang, the floodwaters had reached a height of up to four meters on Thursday.
The flash floods triggered by incessant torrential rains in Bogor and Depok, West Java province, submerged 634 urban villages in the capital city.
Kampung Pulo, which is a densely populated area located along the banks of Ciliwung River in East Jakarta, was the worst hit by flood waters that reached a height of up to four meters on early Nov. 20, 2014.
The displaced people have been accommodated in government offices and mosques. Several local communities have set up public kitchens for the flood-affected victims.
Kampung Pulo had already been hit by floods for three consecutive days from Nov. 11 to Nov. 14. Floodwaters originating from Bogor rose to heights between 30 centimeters and two meters.
In South Jakarta, the residential areas in Pancoran and Pasar Minggu were also submerged in floodwaters that reached a height of up to a meter, on Nov. 20, 2014.
Some 268 households were affected by the floods in South Jakarta, Endang Achadiat of the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD) stated on Thursday (Nov. 20).
"Until now, some 600 inhabitants of South Jakarta have taken refuge in safer places," he informed Antara.
On Nov. 20, some roads such as Gunung Sahari Street in North Jakarta were also flooded in the morning.
(Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
