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Jakarta Floods Update

February 6, 2007

 

 

Overview

 

Widespread flooding caused by seasonal rains which began last week continue to affect Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta today (Tuesday, February 6) in what is being described as the worst floods since 2002 when floods inundated some 65% of the city and left 40 people dead. Indonesian officials say that the death toll from flooding in the city has risen to at least 44 on Tuesday.  The dead include six victims of a landslide today in a village located some 100 miles (161 km) west of the city.  The flooding was triggered after seasonal rains burst river banks throughout the city of some 12 million last Thursday (February 1) and its surrounding towns. Eastern areas of Jakarta are reportedly the worst affected, with water reaching up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) deep. Officials say that blocked drains are preventing waters from running off. Many blame the annual floods on Jakarta’s poor drainage system and the government is facing criticism that it did not do enough to prepare for this disaster. Floods have reportedly receded in some areas, and more than 115,000 people out of some 340,000 who had been displaced have returned home.  Some 220,000 people remain displaced.  The latest data from Indonesia’s National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster (BAKORNAS PB) says that 38 out of 43 sub-districts in Jakarta Province are now affected by floods, while 11 sub-districts in Bekasi district, West Java and seven in Tangerang District in Banten Province have been affected.  Indonesia's meteorology agency said that light rains were forecast over the next few days.  Officials have requested communities to be on alert as more rains are anticipated, and water levels in sluice gates remain high.  The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that electrical power, phone lines, and the supply of clean water remains problematic. The Indonesian government has dispatched medical teams on rafts to the worst-hit areas, and doctors have reportedly been treating people for diarrhea, respiratory problems and skin diseases.  Health officials are on alert for more serious diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. The city was already dealing with a rise in dengue cases before the floods. Indonesia's Ministry of Health is inviting donors, NGOs and UN agencies to a health sector coordination meeting on Wednesday (February 7).  Paskah Suzzeta, the country's planning minister, said today that the flooding is estimated to have cost the country some US$452 million "mostly due to an inactive economy and closure of offices and factories."  However, Indonesia's chief economics minister Boediono said that he did not see a long-term impact from the floods.  The Indonesian government has so far not made a formal request for international assistance, however, foreign countries, including Australia, the US, Japan, China, Germany, Switzerland, and the European Commission, have responded with monetary and in-kind assistance. 

Background

 

Seasonal rains cause dozens of landslides and flash floods across the country each year.  Flooding is an annual problem in Jakarta, particularly during the peak of the rainy season.  The city is vulnerable to flooding because of a poor drainage system and because much of the city is located at or below sea level.  Environmentalists and critics blame the annual floods on clogged storm drains and rivers, poor urban planning and deforestation on the hillsides south of Jakarta. According to the official Antara news agency, flooding in the city is often sparked by heavy rains in the upper areas, such as Depok and Bogor, and water then flows to the rest of the city through the Ciliwung River.  Indonesia's present monsoon season runs from around November to March. Some 40 people were killed and some 300,000 forced to evacuate in the last major floods to hit Jakarta in 2002. In December, floods and landslides triggered by monsoons rains in Aceh and North Sumatra provinces on Sumatra Island, left at least 124 people dead.  Another 170 other people are missing and feared dead, and more than 300,000 people were displaced. 

 

Assessment

 

There has been no immediate formal request for international help by the Government of Indonesia (GOI) or emergency appeal for funds by the United Nations, often indicative of a need for a broader international response.

 

Despite high levels of displacement and increasing concerns of a secondary wave of disease, it is presently considered unlikely that there will be a request for DOD assistance – particularly given the optics and profile of the disaster in the country’s capital city.

 

In line with best practice during natural disasters, local purchase of required relief supplies through NGO partners is preferred. There is generally an abundance of material availably in-country further limiting the need for a US government airlift.

 

One notable exception could be a local request for support within the capabilities of Indonesia-based NAMRU-2. The Ministry of Health is convening a health sector coordination meeting Wednesday (Feb 7) in Jakarta to discuss potential post-flood disease outbreaks.

 

Should extreme rainfall continue for an extended period of time and cause further displacement and more extensive infrastructure damage, it is possible that the GOI might request international assistance. However, it is expected that even under this scenario the international response would be primarily civilian and take the form of financial donations and technical assistance.

 

Domestic Response

 

SATLAK PB (Coordination of Natural Disasters Relief Executive Unit), relevant government departments and communities continue to participate in evacuations. (Feb-06, OCHA) SATLAK PB has distributed food and non-food items across Jakarta. Reportedly, coverage of assistance has reached 80% has in Central Jakarta, 40% in South Jakarta and 50% respectively in East, West and North Jakarta. (Feb-05, OCHA)

 

Indonesian military (TNI) mobilized 1,123 personnel, transportation fleet, 22 platoon tents, 22 boat engines and 7 units of diving equipment. Established two field kitchens. Distributed two trucks of food items to Bendungan Hilir area in central Jakarta. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Police have deployed 200 personnel with nine rubber boats for evacuations.

 

People’s Representative Council (DPR) distributed food, water and blankets to Petaburan area, central Jakarta. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster (BAKORNAS PB), in coordination with military area command (KODAM) of Great Jakarta (JAYA), is transporting 50 tons of rice. Provincial Coordinating Unit for the Management of Disaster (SATKORLAK PB DKI) planning to distribute the rice to five Jakarta areas. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Navy in Surabaya offered helicopters now on standby in Pondok Cabe area. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Search and Rescue Team (SAR) in Jakarta has sent two teams to Karawand and Manggarai to evacuate affected communities. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Social Affairs Department has mobilized 110 personnel to help in the evacuation, establish public kitchens, and distribute 2,000 packages of ready-to-eat food to North and East Jakarta. 1,000 blankets and 1,000 sarongs have also been distributed to each of the five areas in Jakarta. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

SATLAK PB Bekasi City has distributed 60 boxes of instant noodles, 10 boxes of canned fish, blankets and sarongs. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Ministry of Health and local health offices anticipate possible post-flood borne diseases. The Ministry is inviting donors, NGOs and UN agencies to a health sector coordination meeting on JABODETABEK floods on 7 February 2007. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has deployed rapid response teams, known as SATGANA and around 470 volunteers to affected areas with 12 rubber boats. Local Red Cross chapters providing meals to 35,000 people per day – targeting up to 9,500 families with supplementary food packets and hygiene items. International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) transferred 2,500 hygiene kits from Yogyakarta to Jakarta. (Feb-06, IFRC)

 

International Response

 

Foreign Governments

 

To date, no request for international assistance has been issued by the government. (Feb-06, OCHA)

 

Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) providing A$150,000 to the Indonesian Red Cross to provide 5,000 emergency food parcels and 5,000 hygiene kits. (Feb-05, AUSAID) The funds will be channeled to PMI. (Feb-05, OCHA)

 

China will donate US$20,000 to Indonesia through the Red Cross. (Feb-06, Xinhua)

 

The European Commission has allocated 600,000 euros to the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) who will work through 4 NGO partners already present in Jakarta: Action Contre la Faim (ACF), CARE NL, World Vision and Médecins du Monde FR (MDM) for distribution of food packages and non-food items, water and sanitation projects, emergency shelter and public health.

 

Germany is providing 250,000 euro to Indonesia to obtain urgently needed commodities such as drinking water, hygiene products and medicine. (Feb-06, GOG)

 

Japan has decided to provide emergency relief goods in kind (blankets, sleeping mattress, plastic sheets and plastic canteen), equivalent to 15 million yen to the government of Indonesia. (Feb-05, GOJ)

 

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss Red Cross have donated 60,000 Swiss francs to provide drinking water and medicine. Also gave100,000 Swiss undertake joint relief operation to support Indonesian Red Cross with logistics, hygiene kits, food and drinking water. (Feb-06, SDC)

 

USAID has provided a total of US$100,000 distributed evenly among the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), CARE, Mercy Corps and World Vision currently working in Indonesia to support relief efforts including provision of relief items such as hygiene kits, water containers, and sleeping mats. In addition, International Medical Corps will support Ambulant 118 to conduct mobile medical clinics, enabled through an existing standby agreement with OFDA. OFDA has dispatched a Regional Advisor to Jakarta from Bangkok who is expected to arrive Wednesday (February 7).

 

United Nations

 

The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team remains on standby since 5 February and will likely not mobilize unless the situation worsens drastically and the GOI requests international assistance.

 

UN agencies (OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO) and IOM are ready to provide assistance as requested by the government. The UN RC/HC Office in Jakarta continues monitoring the situation in close contact with pertinent government and non-government institutions. (Feb-05,06, OCHA)

 

NGOs/IOs

 

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with Archdiocese of Jakarta providing emergency shelter, food, and NFIs to 6,000 people. (Feb-05, CRS)

 

CARE distributing food and water purification solution to more 15,000 affected people in Tangerang, Jakarta. Providing health education and food distributions to up to 10,000 people. (Feb-05, CARE)

 

Christian Children’s Funds through its local NGO partners has distributed basic supplies. (Feb-05, OCHA)

 

Church World Service through its local NGO partner has distributed non-food items and drinking water to 300 families in Cipinang (Feb-05, OCHA)

 

International Medical Corps (IMC) working with local partner, Ambulan 118, to assess status of local clinics – coordinating comprehensive response, including use of three mobile medical units and one ambulance. (Feb-05, IMC)

 

Mercy Corps sent emergency hygiene supplies to 6,000 affected individuals – plans to distribute more kits to another 1,000 people on February 7. Assisted four public kitchens in South and Central Jakarta. Plans to expand response to include NFIs, food, water and other items. (Feb-06, Mercy Corps)

 

Plan released emergency funds to provide hygiene kits and baby food for 2,900 people, mostly children. Sent emergency rapid needs assessment teams to several areas across Jakarta. (Feb-06, Plan)

 

Save the Children UK has also distributed 20 hygiene kits, 434 household kits, 3,000 tarpaulins, 1,600 shelter tool kits and 60 classroom tents. (Feb-05, OCHA)

 

Trocaire pledged 50,000 euro in funding to local partner Karina to distribute medicine, food, water and NFIs. (Feb-06, Troicaire)

 

Urban Poor Linkage (UPLINK), a partner of Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace NGO and a coalition of Indonesian community organizations, plans to set up temporary shelter and distributing food, medicine and shelter items. (Feb-06, Development and Peace)

 

World Vision has distributed shelter, clothing items and family kits to 600 families in Cawang area. NFIs and food distributed in Kebon Pala and Cilincing. 1,300 baby kits distributed in Kebon Pala area. (Feb-06, OCHA) Distributing over US$190,000 in supplies this week for about 25,000 people. World Vision plans a total of US$350,000 in aid.

 

Note: See following annexes for more details on alert levels, affected populations and rain forecast in affected areas

Annex 1: (Bakornas [National Coordinating Board for the Management of Disaster] table of water levels at Sluice Gates)

 

The water level in most sluice gates, although still alarmingly high, has begun to decrease slightly. The following table provides the updated status of the water levels. Alert 1 indicates imminent overflow, alert 2 indicates medium possibility of overflow, and alert 3 indicates a lower possibility of overflow. (Source OCHA Sitrep 3 – 5 February)

 

 

Source: BAKORNAS PB, 6 February, 06:00 hrs

 

 

Annex 2: (BMG Rainfall forecast Map)

Caption:

BMG rainfall forecast map for February 2007. (source: WHO Sitrep #3 – 5 Feb)

 

 

 

 

 

Annex 3: (IFRC map of affected locations)

Annex 4: (Bakornas Table of Affected Populations)

The following table provides current data on casualties, IDPs and flooded houses as of 6 February 2007: (source OCHA Sitrep #3 – 6 Feb)

 

 

Source: BAKORNAS PB, 5 February 2007