Embankment Built During Ahok Era Saves School from Flood
6 February 2018 20:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The embankment built under the era of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) is said to be the reason why state-high school SMAN 8 Bukit Duri was not drenched by floodwater.
Meanwhile, areas in the vicinity of the school are currently inundated by two-meter-high flood water.
Before the embankment was built, SMAN 8 would often be flooded by water rushing in from the Ciliwung river. “Now there’s a water embankment that was constructed during the Ahok era,” said Suwarno (66), a security guard of SMAN 8 on Tuesday, February 6.
“There is also a water reservoir that was built-in the school. It was all built during Ahok’s leadership,” said the school security guard that has worked there since 1993.
However, despite being free of the flood, the school’s electricity was cut-off since Monday midnight up to Tuesday noon. This forced school managements to limit school hours up to 10 am today.
Read: Ahok Promises Flood Free Jakarta by 2022
Based on Tempo's observations, there is an embankment as high as the chest of an adult protecting the Ciliwung river bank near the school.
Further testimony was provided by a nearby resident, Erwin, who said that the embankment really helped residents there. He claimed that his family can finally be free of flood this year thanks to the embankment.
M Julnis Firmansyah