Suherdjoko, Semarang – Heavy flooding over the past two days has paralyzed parts of the northern Java north coast, popularly known as Pantura, disrupting both land and air traffic.
Floodwaters 20 centimeters deep swamped the runway of Semarang's Ahmad Yani Airport, forcing airlines to cancel flights into and out of the Central Java capital. Airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I managed to briefly resume operations between 7:05 a.m. and 8:42 a.m., before closing the airport down again.
"We'd hoped to fully resume operations at 1 p.m. but the rain fell heavily again," Angkasa Pura I general manager Bambang Suwastono said Monday, adding that air traffic had normalized by 4 p.m.
Train services connecting western and eastern Java were also disrupted.
PT Kereta Api (KA) Semarang branch spokesman Warsono said 10 lines had been affected, with trains having to be rerouted to the southern lines. Three trains were stranded mid-journey – two from Jakarta to Semarang, and one from Bandung to Semarang.
"Some trains from the west [Jakarta and Bandung] managed to retreat to Tegal before continuing their journeys through Purworejo, heading to Yogyakarta; while trains from the east [Surabaya] had to go through Surakarta and Yogyakarta," he said.
The lack of locomotives has cut short the evacuations of some train cars trapped in flooded areas.
"We only have two hydraulic locomotives in Brumbung and Alastuwo Stations, and it takes at least three hours to evacuate the cars," KA Surabaya branch spokesman Sugeng Prijono said, adding that only this type of locomotive was able to pass through inundated railways.
"Trains arriving in Brumbung Station have to change from an electric locomotive to a hydraulic one before heading to Alastuwo Station, and vice versa," he said as quoted by Antara, adding the process caused delays of between 3 and 18 hours.
Warsono said the railway operator could not ask passengers to disembark at smaller stations around Semarang and continue their journey by bus, since the northern coast roads were also inundated.
The 1,316-kilometer Pantura – which serves as the main artery along the north of the island – floods frequently during the rainy season.
Police had to turn back eastbound vehicles from Kaliwungu, west of Semarang, due to the floods. "We'd planned to attend a gathering with colleagues, but the police stopped us and told us to turn back, although it's just 25 kilometers from Semarang. What can we say? It's a natural disaster," one of stranded passengers, Awaludin, said.
Floods also hit Demak regency, disrupting traffic between Semarang and Surabaya.
In West Java, knee-high floodwaters swamped the key rice-growing regency of Karawang and wreaked havoc with Jakarta-bound traffic from Cirebon. Many drivers and motorcyclists who attempted to go through the water ended up with stalled engines.
Heavy rains also caused landslides on Jl. Talangsari Raya in Gajah Mungkur district, Semarang, killing local resident Heri. Other residents fled to safer ground, while a search and rescue team patrolled the city's flooded areas to evacuate those trapped in rising waters.