Jakarta flooded. the above picture is Bundaran HI the main roundabout in Jakarta. It was covered in apparently 80cm of water. But that was just part of the story.
The wet season is well and truly upon us. It rains almost everyday, and if there is a one day reprieve that generally means it will just rain harder the next day.
Right now Jakarta is in a state of emergency.
probably but not exclusively because it even managed to inundate the Presidential Palace. (the man in the blue shirt is President SBY inspecting the damage to the Palace next to MONAS).
However the flooding is extensive. I awoke on Thursday morning to a thunder storm and went downstairs for breakfast to find the waters lapping at the front door.
thinking maybe it was just localised flooding, I emailed my boss and said I would be late to work, as the way to work was now knee deep water and there was not a cab in site. (note to self and expats moving to jakarta - buy gumboots they can become a life saver)
My boss replied, it was now a work from home day. I then began to realise the extent of the flooding. it appeared that every street in Jakarta was not full with water as rivers began to break their banks.
One of the main streets in Jakarta, the same street my office is on became a river
The issue was no longer macet (endless traffic jams) but water and lots of it. then the most interesting news came through last night (from an ex-intern). apparently at the same spot as the above photo some people saw what they believed was a crocodile. after chasing the creature they realised it was a 1-meter monitor lizard. No biggie, just cruising down the main rd in Jakarta. More reports surfaced of 2-meter long water pythons. note to self, don't wade through the water anymore.
The day became a social media frenzy, everything from facebook, twitter and blogging was revealing pictures that were unbelievable or stories of dams overflowing. We were then told Friday would also be a work from home, due to a dam in Menteng nearing capacity and the threat it would overflow.
I awoke this morning with a little disappointment, because the street was largely dry, or dry in comparison. I should be relieved I could leave my building and venture to work for a computer charger. Some areas were still flooded and cars continued to try and trick fate and drive through water that was obviously too high.
this was the flood water between me and my office, also note it was the flood water between me and McDonalds.
Jakarta will remain in a State of Emergency until Jan 27 as they believe that there are more rains to come. Train lines are submerged in water, there are reports of landslides and the possibility of more rivers overflowing as the rain from the mountains surrounding Jakarta makes it way to the Java Sea, through Jakarta.
Luckily as a expat this was more of a spectacle than a concern. But highlighted the vulnerability of Indonesia to nature.
(Some of the images above are not mine, I borrowed them from www.thejakartapost.com and some interns :) )
