enjoyjakarta.

Dear All,


Yesterday I went to the office like usual, catching a ride with my father and got dropped in the office. Had some meetings and arranging some events. Until around 3 to 4 PM it started to rain so heavy that I can see the wind shook the trees outside. It was some kind of a storm. It hasn't been raining for couple of days in Jakarta, or maybe thats what I thought. I took some pictures around my office area, where usually when the rain doesn't stop for about 4 hours straight, water starts coming into our office. And since our office is not like normal offices (its more like a house - office), water always find its own way to come in and bring termites to feast my magazines
 -__-

in FAR office gate

a guy who is smart enough to just accept the situation and enjoy his bakso (meat balls)

I was surfing through the net and found this document about the history and problem of the flooding and canal in Jakarta, on that year it was still recognized as Batavia. On the document it says 


"Already in 1633 complaints were uttered about the stench when the canals were lying dry and in 1665 it was pointed out that the water sometimes came higher than the town, while in 1670 some streets were inundated because of springtide. "


So apparently we have this problem since way back! I haven't even born that year LOL. Back then they also acknowledge problems with sandbanks at the entrance of the Ciliwung and the extension of the coastline.


This is the evaluation of the drainage and flood control condition in the 1960s based on Jakarta Masterplan in 1965 - 1985;

(a) nearly all the rivers flowing in the city, in combination with the drains network, are now functioning in a very unsatisfactory manner; 

(b) most of the rivers and drains have become shallow owing to the practice of dumping refuse and waste directly into them, and because of inadequate maintenance and dredging; 

(c) most estuaries have already become shallow through a continuous silting-up process which greatly hampers the flow of water; 

(d) almost all of the water constructions are completely damaged and operating inefficiently; 

(e) many areas are periodically submerged as a result of ineffective road drainage; and 

(f) there is insufficient open ground, and total water permeability is thus diminished. 

In 1965 the Office of Public Works initiated a long - term project where they built canals and pumps also relocation of the population from an area of 487 hectares. It was estimated that the project cost around Rp 28,5 Million and completed in the first 3 years (1965 - 1967). 

And then in 2002 was the start of some crazy flooding that entered Jakarta and smashed several parts of the city. On this year the area was not hit by the flood was Menteng, Pondok Indah and Pantai Indah Kapuk. Now Menteng, which is my work area was flooded, like you can see from some of my pictures. 
From the source you can actually read some of the current problems that we are facing at the moment. It is going to be a long topic to go through..


source: International Conference on Urban History, Surabaya August 23rd - 25th 2004


Oh I am thinking, what is going to happen in the upcoming years...?
Enjoying Jakarta much?


Cheers!
Rani