TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi outlined three strategies to overcome the massive flooding in Demak, Central Java when visiting the evacuation post in Gajah District on Friday, March 22. He said the government had prepared several measures.

Demak has been flooded since March 13 due to extreme rainfall and breached dams. On March 18, at least 89 villages in 11 sub-districts in Demak were inundated with 30-80 cm of floodwater.

The President explained that the first strategy to overcome the disaster was to repair the embankment, which broke at a height of 15 meters on Thursday evening, March 21. “The process takes four consecutive days,” he said.

The second strategy is the implementation of weather modification technology, which allows a shift of rain clouds to the sea. The third strategy is to pump out the floodwaters.

When asked about social assistance for affected residents, Jokowi said that the Ministry of Public Works and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) would first conduct an assessment. “Those whose crops were damaged will be given seeds from the Ministry of Agriculture,” he added.

As of Thursday evening, March 21, six sub-districts were still flooded, namely Karanganyar District where the Wulan River embankment burst, Karang Tengah District, Gajah District, Wonosalam District, Sayung District, and Demak District.

The flood in Karanganyar District was reported to have receded by half a meter on Thursday, March 21.

Jokowi said that the extreme rainfall of about 150 millimeters to 238 millimeters caused flooding in Demak. He also highlighted upstream problems, such as illegal logging and land use conversion, and instructed regional governments to carry out planting, reforestation, and land transfer for long-term solutions.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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