Jokowi said that the Jakarta floods would be reduced fast if the construction of the Ciliwung River`s tunnel that connect the river with the East Flood Canal had been completed.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will invite Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) to discuss the handling and prevention of floods that hit the capital city, including the State Palace.

"The governor has just sent me an SMS tax message saying that the State Palace is affected by floods. But I have not yet discuss it in detail. Probably I will invite him tomorrow," President Jokowi told reporters as he landed at Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport here early hours on Tuesday after his state visit to the Philippines.

He said that the Jakarta floods would be reduced fast if the construction of the Ciliwung Rivers tunnel that connect the river with the East Flood Canal had been completed.

The president said the construction of the tunnel was impossible to be completed in a short time.

"Besides that, this year the construction of the land clearance of a dam in Ciawi, Bogor West Java, will be started," Jokowi added.

"Jakarta has always been hit by floods for tens of years but we will handle it with that ways. I will see later the progress of the Ciawi dam development and will also see when the River Ciliwungs tunnel could be finished," he remarked.

Incessant heavy rains have triggered floods in at least 49 locations in Jakarta, according to the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBD).

"The ongoing heavy rains since Sunday evening until this morning have inundated 49 locations throughout Jakarta," Bambang Suryaputra of the BPBD stated here on Monday.

Of the 49 flood-affected locations, 22 are in Central Jakarta, in Jalan MH Thamrin, Cempaka Baru, Ahmad Yani, Kwitang Raya,Majapahit, Budi Kemuliaan, Percetakan Negara, Jalan Cempaka Putih Tengah, and Senen Raya, among several others.

In West Jakarta, floodwaters reaching heights ranging between 10 and 60 centimeters affected Jalan Sosial Daan Mogot, Satria, Jelambar, Grogol, Kedoya Raya, Patra Raya, Arjuna Selatan, and Kapuk Raya, among others.

In East Jakarta, floods submerged Jalan DI Panjaitan, Pramuka, and Jalan Raya Bekasi. In North Jakarta, flooding was reported in Jalan Yos Sudarso, Kapuk Muara, and Boulevard Artha Gading.

In South Jakarta, Jalan H. Ipin, Pondok Labu, and Jalan Fatmawati were inundated with floodwaters reaching nearly 30 centimeters in height.

The Jakarta authorities have been working hard to ensure that they are ready to handle the floods, which are forecast to occur during the peak of the rainy season in February 2015.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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