Jakarta rains ease, but flood problems remain
Date: 01-Feb-02
Country: INDONESIA
Author: Achmad Sukarsono
Officials and local media said at least 33 people had been killed throughout the vast archipelago over the last three days of monsoon rains.
Traffic eased slightly on several of Jakarta's main roads but the power blackouts caused chaos at traffic lights and many schools remain closed as floodwater in some ares of the city was still close to four metres (13 feet).
"Around 600 electric posts have been shut down in Jakarta and Tangerang. We apologise to our customers for this inconvenience," said Rio Suprianto, from the National Electric Company office for Jakarta and the neighbouring city of Tangerang.
Suprianto said repair work was underway but he couldn't say when the posts would be back up, as switching them off was also a safety measure to prevent electrocutions should the water level rise further.
"The victims of the flood also asked us to shut down these posts. Most of the posts actually are not inundated and still can provide power but for the sake of safety we are turning them off," he told Reuters.
Monsoon rains have swamped Jakarta since the start of the week forcing around 40,000 residents to take shelter at mosques, churches and government offices and giving rise to health fears as piles of rotting garbage wash into homes.
Newspapers and television have been running dramatic pictures and although death tolls vary, most reported at least 20 residents of Jakarta and surrounding towns have been killed over the past few days.
The Republika daily reported floods had killed at least eight people in several East Java cities and at least five on the resort island of Bali.
Environment Minister Nabiel Makarim has advised Jakartans to stay off the roads to ease congestion. Residents say this year's floods, although bad, are not as severe as 1996 when at least 30 people were killed in the capital alone.
Chronic flooding, mostly caused by clogged water ducts and poor drainage, hits Jakarta and other areas of the vast archipelago every year during the wet season, from October to February.
The state-run Meteorology Agency has forecast more rain until the end of next month but some experts say the worst may be over for the capital and its population of more than 12 million.
