[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-gi] In Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, at least nine people have died and thousands of houses and buildings have been flooded due to flooding from the first day of the new year.
On the 1st (local time), major roads, commuter train tracks, houses, and vehicles in Jakarta were flooded in many places due to heavy rain that fell from the afternoon of the previous day until early morning. Power outages and water supply disruptions also occurred one after another. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency stated, "Many places received over 100mm of rain overnight, and some areas experienced 200 to 300mm. There is a possibility of more rain over the next 2 to 3 days." Local broadcast media also aired disaster coverage from flooded sites starting early morning.
Water levels rose to 30-60cm in North Jakarta's Kelapa Gading, Central Jakarta, East Jakarta's Borobudur University campus, West Jakarta's Trisakti University, and South Jakarta's Kemang area, reaching up to 1.5m and even as high as 3m in some places. Flooding also occurred in the metropolitan outskirts such as Bekasi, Tangerang, and Bogor. According to disaster authorities, at least 90 areas were flooded due to heavy rain and floods, and about 19,000 residents in low-lying areas evacuated to shelters, creating displaced persons.
According to disaster authorities, a 16-year-old student was electrocuted in a puddle in an alley, and three people drowned and died from hypothermia. Additionally, four people died from landslides, and one person drowned. The death toll may increase, and although thousands of houses and buildings were flooded, an accurate count will take time.
Indonesia entered the rainy season in November last year, and floods have occurred repeatedly on Sumatra Island, Sulawesi Island, and other areas, but this is the first flood in the Jakarta metropolitan area during this rainy season.
On social media, photos and videos of vehicles stuck in water and unable to move, household goods floating inside flooded homes, and people traveling by boat or canoe in various places have been posted one after another.
Due to flooding, 4 to 5 highway toll gates were closed, and commuter trains are operating only on some sections due to flooded tracks. Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta was temporarily closed on the day due to runway flooding and bad weather, causing inconvenience to about 19,000 passengers.
Some passenger planes landed at Soekarno-Hatta Airport instead of Halim Airport.
The Korean Embassy in Indonesia reported the damage situation and announced, "Since all of Jakarta is chaotic from the start of the new year, please refrain from going out." Some Korean residents also suffered damage, including flooded homes.
President Joko Widodo instructed, "Prioritize citizen safety and promptly restore public facilities paralyzed by flooding, such as Halim Airport," and "The central and local governments must actively cooperate."
President Joko Widodo said that population and economic concentration on Java Island is severe, especially Jakarta is vulnerable to disasters such as flooding, and plans to relocate the capital to East Kalimantan on Borneo Island.
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