62.819 Jakarta Flood Victims Become Refugees

Jakarta, Jan 21 (Antara) - The number of people displaced by floods in Jakarta has reached 62,819, with a death toll of 12 people, noted Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). The floods starting in January 14 have affected 34 sub-districts, 100 urban villages, 444 neighborhoods, 672 families, and a total of 134,662 people in Jakarta, he said. The floodwaters, however, have recently subsided as the water level of rivers in the capital city has decreased. He pointed out that this year`s flood is smaller in scale than that of January 2013, which forced 83,930 people to take refuge in 307 locations. Many refugees still need portable toilets, blankets, instant food, mineral water and a clean water supply, he stated. The Jakarta government plans to relocate around 34 thousand families living along the bank of Ciliwung River to a modest apartment complex in South Cipinang Besar (Cipesel) to allow the river to function optimally. "The relocation of inhabitants living along the bank of Ciliwung River, such as in the Kampung Pulo and Kalibata areas, will begin this year," Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo remarked on Tuesday. He said the river will be expanded this year to help address the flood problem. As an example, he explained that in the Tegal Alur area, the river is only three meters wide, when ideally, the width should be 30 meters.