TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Halim Perdanakusuma Airport runway in East Jakarta is temporarily closed today, January 1, 2020. The notification on the closure was issued this morning at 06:20, following the flooding at the runway side ponds due to heavy rain.

“The flood was from the ponds. We’ve tried to pump the water out and it is now receding,” airport Executive General Manager TNI’s Col. Nandang Sukarna told Tempo Wednesday morning.

He predicted that the runway would be reopened within an hour after the notification of the closure was issued whilst watching over the weather condition.

Nandang expected the ponds would be overflow and flooding the runway if rain with high intensity reoccurs. However, his side could not pump out the water to the area outside the airport since it would inundate the residences nearby.

“It’s already flooding outside, impossible for us to send the water to the residential areas,” he said.

The airport notified the delay of several flights following the runway closure, including the first flight of the day.

A number of arrivals were diverted to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. One of them was Citilink’s Yogyakarta-Jakarta flight.

Nandang said the delay caused passengers to flock at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. The passengers received food and beverages as compensation from the airlines.

Francisca Christy Rosana