Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency's (BMKG) extreme weather early warning head, Achmad Zukri, said the recent flooding in Jakarta had not been caused by natural factors.

"Rainfall in Jakarta this year has been lower than 2013," said Zukri in Jakarta on Sunday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

In 2013, he said, the rain fell mostly over Jakarta. This year, rainfall has been unevenly distributed across Jakarta, with East Jakarta, South Jakarta and West Jakarta bearing the brunt of the inclement weather.

"Last year the high intensity rain fell over several days," said Zukri. He added a decline in rainfall was monitored in 18 areas.

Several observation points recording a decline in rainfall include: Cengkareng, Halim Perdanakusuma, Kedoya, Kemayoran, Lebak Bulus, Pakubuwono, Pasar Minggu and Tanjung Priok.

Meanwhile, Citeko and Gunung Mas, two observation points outside the capital city, which cover the Puncak area in Bogor, West Java, have also seen a decline in rainfall.

In Gunung Mas, rainfall dropped to 25 millimeters (mm) per day for the period of Jan. 11 to Jan. 12, 2014 from 76 mm and 118.5 mm per day on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17, 2013.

Earlier, Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) disaster mitigation campaigner Mukri Friatna said excessive forest conversion had caused the recent flooding. (ebf)