TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Urban planning observer from Trisakti University, Nirwono Joga, said that Jakarta provincial administration lacked preparations in anticipating floods in this year's rainy season.

Nirwono said that the recent floods that hit several of the capital's main thoroughfares following three consecutive days of rain proved that the city has the worst drainage system.

"Regardless of the rain intensity, this shows that the city has a terrible drainage system, it did not work optimally, it could not collect rainwater," said Nirwono to Tempo on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

Nirwono said that only 33 percent of the drainage system in the city is running well. In addition, the city's waterways could not accommodate heavy flow of water.

Nirwono asserted that the city administration must expand the width of the waterways from the current 1.5 meters to 3 meters to increase the drainage capacity to collect rainwater.

"The waterways are also clogged with mud, waste, overlapped utility networks, and each waterway is not connected well," Nirwono added.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2019, rain was pouring down over Jakarta and inundated the capital's main thoroughfares, including Jalan Asia Afrika.

LANI DIANA WIJAYA