Jakarta – Nearly 3,000 people have taken refuge due to flooding in several areas across Jakarta since Thursday night after heavy rainfall poured down across the city.
As of Friday morning, 2,784 residents were still taking shelter and waiting for the flood to recede, according to an official figure issued by the Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD). Most of the thousands of residents taking shelter were in West and North Jakarta, as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com.
The disaster agency set up shelters in at least four subdistricts, namely West Cengkareng and Tegal Alur in West Jakarta, as well as Rorotan and West Semper in North Jakarta, as reported by kompas.com.
On Friday morning, at least 20 neighborhood units (RT) were still inundated. The flooding from Thursday's rain affected areas totaling 9 square kilometers, with floodwaters reaching up to 60 centimeters.
The Jakarta BPBD deployed personnel to monitor flooding across all affected areas, the agency head Isnawa Adji said.
The BPBD also coordinated with various other agencies, including the Water Resources Agency, Fire and Rescue Agency and local officials to pump out floodwaters and ensure proper drainage.
"We aim for the flood to recede in no time," Isnawa said on Friday.
He warned residents to remain cautious of potential flooding that may come during heavy rains. Should people need help during the flooding, residents can call the emergency hotline at 112.
Jakarta has been facing flood-triggering heavy rainfalls since Tuesday. Meteorological stations from across the city showed that the capital had been facing extreme rainfall with intensity of up to 184 millimeters per day.