Jakarta is often flooded at the beginning of a year. Why so? (Image via Suara.com)

LIPI breaks down why Jakarta keeps on flooding

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Construction & Infrastructure
Jan 08, 2020
1954
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) warned that it is unwise to keep relating Bogor with the flood in Jakarta. In fact, LIPI also broke down reasons why Jakarta keeps on being flooded at the beginning of the year.

Instead of blaming water discharge from Katulampa, LIPI blamed extreme rain in Jakarta, triggered by climate change. Jakarta had seen 377mm rainfall per day, a leap from 340mm in 2007. It is something never happened since the 1990s.

Moreover, Jakarta is located in the low land due to massive construction and excessive groundwater extraction.

Since 1975, Jakarta’s land had experienced subsidence by as much as 7.5cm per year. As a city just beside the sea, Jakarta has the potential to be drowned by climate change. The natural phenomenon caused glaciers to melt, leading to the rise of sea levels.

Domestically, Jakarta, as a metropolitan and current capital of Indonesia, faces another classic problem, urbanization. Reckless construction without paying attention to the environmental aspects also makes Jakarta prone to flood.

LIPI suggested the government to improve the early warning system. The current warning system only monitors the upstream water levels; therefore, the system should improve to monitor rainfall as well. The result can be used as a reference for the local government to adjust the drainage system.

Regarding the accuracy problem, LIPI suggested the government distribute more real-time monitoring devices for a more accurate report.

Source: https://bit.ly/2QWd5ek

Construction , Infrastructure , Urban-Planning , Natural-Disaster , Flood , ASEAN , Indonesia , Jakarta