Jakarta Floods Inundate Main Streets, Toll Roads

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Flood hit the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta today, Feb. 20, due to heavy downpours since last night. A number of roads in the city are inundated and are impossible for vehicles to pass by, forcing the police to close the roads.

"At 05:17 right now, water inundates Halim Lama area heading to Cililitan in East Jakarta, vehicles can't pass the road," tweeted Jakarta Metro Police @TMCPoldaMetro on Saturday morning, Feb. 20.

The following is the list of submerged roads:

-Jalan Bungur Besar Raya in front of Central Jakarta Court. Vehicles can still pass the road slowly.

- Jalan Pilar Mas Raya Kedoya, right in front of Metro TV office building, West Jakarta. The water level is too high that the vehicles are impossible to go through.

- Under Cawang Toll heading to Tanjung Priok Toll from Bekasi. The authorities diverted the traffic to the inner ring road heading to Semanggi.

Besides the main roads, several toll roads are also flooded. Even though the vehicles can still pass the roads, the police called on the road users to reduce the speed and remain alert.

"Jasa Marga is following up several flooded points at Jasa Marga toll roads," said the official of the state toll road operator Dwimawan Heru in a written statement today, Feb. 20.

Here is the list of toll roads inundated by flood:

1. Jakarta-Cikampek Toll,

- Direction to Jakarta at KM 09B

- Jatibening Toll gate acces heading to Jakarta. The vehicles intending to enter the toll are diverted to Jatiwaringin or Pondok Gede toll gates.

- At KM 19B, water inundates lane one and two, and that only large vehicles can pass the road. Meanwhile, lane three and four are accessible for all vechiles.

- Cikarang Barat 5 toll gate heading to Jakarta: left lane is submerged, while the right lane is accessible.

- Cibitung 7 toll gate to Jakarta; all lanes are flooded but the right lane is still accessible.

2. Jakarta-Tangerang Toll

Tangerang Direction

- SS Bitung: vehicles heading to Cikupa are diverted to KM 19 Tangerang.

- KM 24 A: lane two to four can now be used.

3. Jakarta Outer Ring Road: Pondok Ranji-Serpong

Serpong Direction

- KM 8+600 of BSD lane: Pondok Ranji toll gate is closed, vehicles at Utama (heading to BSD) are directed to Bintaro.

4. Jagrawi Toll:

Jakarta Direction

- KM 3+800: lane three and four are accessible.

5. Jakarta Inner Ring Road

Direction to Tj Priok

-KM 00+200 SS Cawang: lane two of SS Cawang tunnel from Halim to Tj Priok is inundated. The trafficeis diverted to the inner ring road.

Previously, Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency issued an early warning of flood as the water level increased early at dwan on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The water level at Sunter Hulu post as per 3 a.m., reched 285 centimeter with alert status level 1 (Siaga 1).

Meanwhile, the alert status of Angke Hulu and Manggarai monitoring posts was recorded at level 2 (Siaga 2) with the water level of 255 centimeter and 875 centimeter, respectively.

Read: Floods Submerge 2 Power Stations; 666 Houses in East Jakarta Affected

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH