Pope Benedict XVI prays for flood victims in Jakarta

Vatican City. Pope Benedict XVI has offered his prayers to the victims of floods in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and said “no one should go without the necessary aid.”

The 85-year-old pope said during his weekly general audience on Wednesday: “I have been following with preoccupation the news from Indonesia where a large flood has devastated Jakarta, leaving in its wake victims, thousands without shelter and significant damage.”

“I wish to express my closeness to the populations hit by this natural calamity, assuring them my prayers and encouraging solidarity so that no one should go without the necessary aid,” he said in front of some 2,000 faithful gathered at the Vatican.

At least 20 people were killed last week by the floods, which forced 40,000 people from their homes and were the worst to hit the capital since 2007.

Source : Agence France-Presse

News update from the ABCnews : The Holy See Benedict XVI  will resign on February 28th this year due to his advanced age. 
Here is the Vatican translation of what the Pope said today regarding his resignation.
Pope Benedict XVI resigns : the Official Statement 
 Pls kindly pray for his recovery 

Jakarta will not get “drowned” this weekend
The first Weather Modification to be applied In Jakarta in 2013

 “We should be able to tell “ 'being inundated' and  getting drowned  apart ',” Andi Arief, a presidential adviser on disaster management and social affairs, said on Thursday, as quoted by Kompas.com.

No, Jakarta will not get “drowned” this weekend, a presidential adviser cited on Thursday in response to widespread reports that heavy rainfall would lead to one of the worst cases of flooding the capital has ever seen.

He was responding to a statement from University of Indonesia hydrologist Firdaus Ali, who said that rain over the coming days would bring floods worse than the one in 2007, when 231 square kilometers of the capital were submerged, killing 80 people and displacing 320,000 others.

“On Jan. 26, 27 and 28, there will be a full moon and rising tides on the beaches in the north of Jakarta,” he said. “If the intensity of the rain in the city is still high, and the floods from Puncak and Bogor are factored in, then it is certain that parts of Jakarta will get drowned.”

In a somewhat desperate enterprise to ease flooding in Jakarta, Governor Jokowi appears to have opted for weather engineering technology to divert the intense rains.

“I have sent a letter to the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) to move the clouds to the north [the sea],” he told reporters at City Hall on Tuesday.

Modifying the weather, according to meteorology and geophysics expert Armi Susandi from Bandung Institute of Technology, can be done by using hygroscopic substances to encourage clouds to form. 


In anticipation of more flooding to hit Jakarta over the next few days, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology will use weather modification technology to try and alter the city's forecast of torrential downpours.

Tri Handoko Seto, the head of the artificial rain division at the agency known as BPPT, told Detik.com that the agency would try and induce the rain from outside of Jakarta and its greater region to above the sea. The agency will use its two Casa airplanes and a military-owned Hercules airplane to perform the process of cloud seeding. 

Rain-Inducing Assessment and Technology Application Division :
Head of Division : Dr. Tri Handoko Seto, MSc.
 Weather Modification Technology Center, Indonesia with its slogan atmospheric engineering is our business.

 According to Ronald B. Standler
"Weather modification is the effort of man to change naturally occurring weather, for the benefit of someone. The best-known kind of weather modification is cloud seeding, with the goal of producing rain or snow, suppressing hail (which can ruin crops), or weakening hurricanes"
weather modification

“Before the clouds enter Jakarta [sky], we'll give them [cloud] seedings like salt that we have chemically processed,” he explained, adding that the idea was for Jakarta to be hit with light rain rather than a heavy downpour.

Aside from cloud seeding, the agency plans to also use 20 ground base seeding generators to control the rain between Jakarta's coastal region to Bogor.

“These [generators] spray particles from the ground and tower,” Tri said. “So even though the clouds will develop into rain, the rain will fall elsewhere after the clouds have been carried away by the wind.”

"Tri said that they would carry out the weather modification process 
  for two months, beginning Saturday, January 26 until March 25, 2013.
The funding for weather modification operations is estimated to amount to Rp 13 billion, which is derived from the Indonesian: National Disaster Management Agency) ( BNPB.)'s disbursable  funds or ready money."

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast torrential downpours from Jan. 26 to 29 mainly in the northern and western parts of Jakarta and in the southern part of Bogor.

Andi did not deny that the city may see flooding again, but emphasized that Jakarta would not get drowned.

“The regions that have been inundated — again, will be inundated, but not drowned — are in the northern parts of Jakarta, which are just one or two meters above the sea level,” he said.

Andi added that flooding can be prevented by cleaning drainage, mainly around the West Flood Canal and Cengkareng Drainage.

“Let's face it with empathy, solidarity and cooperation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo said on Thursday that he would proceed with the  former governor Fauzi Bowo's plan to build a giant sea wall in North Jakarta.

“We will accelerate the construction of the giant sea wall,” Jokowi said. “We will ask the National Development Planning Agency [Bappenas] and Presidential Unit for Development, Supervision and Oversight [UKP4] to prepare the plan because it would involve a huge budget and take a long time.”

Construction, Jokowi said, It would take around 10 years. “It's really needed,” he said. “But it will need hundreds of trillions [of rupiah].”

The giant sea wall, basically a dyke or levee , is part of the grand design or master plan made by the Jakarta administration with the help of Dutch government in 2011.

The Jakarta Governor Jokowi said the dyke or levee  would also function as a freshwater dam to benefit the surrounding communities.

The government also plans to make the area around the dyke or levee,  a Special Economic Zone where they will build mass rapid transport, toll roads and new business districts.

Sources : theJakartaglobe , thejakartapost, detik.com and various sources

U.S. Ambassador Scot A. Marciel : deepest sympathies over Jakarta floods

 U.S. Ambassador Scot A. Marciel

Jakarta – On January 18, following the Indonesian government’s declaration of an emergency, U.S. Ambassador Scot A. Marciel offered U.S. assistance in response to the severe flooding in and around Jakarta.  The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, will provide $150,000 to support the humanitarian relief efforts of the Indonesian government and assist those affected in close coordination with the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and local leaders.   In cooperation with Mercy Corps, Save the Children and World Vision, the United States support will be used for local procurement and distribution of emergency relief supplies, including materials for flood clean-up activities that will enable affected people to return home.

“We offer our deepest sympathies to those affected by the terrible flooding in and around Jakarta.  While the situation has affected thousands of people, I have been heartened by the selfless response of so many Indonesians to assist their fellow citizens, and by the hard work and dedication of the Indonesian disaster response officials, police and military.  With the impact of Super Storm Sandy in the United States fresh in the minds of the American people, we appreciate the difficult challenges now facing Indonesians, and we are pleased to help,” Ambassador Marciel said.

On January 17, the governor of Jakarta declared a state of emergency in the capital, which is expected to remain in effect through January 27.  The BNPB is leading the response and providing temporary shelter, food, and relief items to populations residing in evacuation centers, as well as support for post-flood clean-up efforts.  The U.S. Embassy is working closely with the BNPB and Jakarta authorities to support the on-going disaster response efforts.

The United States Government has worked in close cooperation with Indonesia to prepare and respond to natural disasters.  In the last decade USAID has helped respond to flooding in Ambon in 2012, the eruption of Mount Merapi in 2010, the 2009 Padang earthquake, the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake and the 2004 tsunami in Aceh.

Source :  http://jakarta.usembassy.gov/news/pr_01192013.html

Jakarta, Tuesday, January 22nd. 2013 

A government agency, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), cited more than 30,000 people were still living as refugees on Tuesday, while 20 people were killed during the widespread flooding that hit Jakarta last week.

“Although the flood has receded, some victims are still living in refugee centers,” said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as quoted by Antaranews.com.

According to BNPB data, some 33,502 people remain in refugee camps, mostly in West Jakarta, where the number of refugees stood at 24,529, and North Jakarta, where 5,040 refugees remain.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Suhardi Alius said there were 12 areas in North and West Jakarta that were at least partially impassable due to lingering floodwaters.

“The latest data, as of 8 a.m., there were 12 areas that could not possibly  be passed,” Suhardi said on Tuesday, as quoted by Antaranews.com.

In West Jakarta, there were five regions that were not passable: Jalan Gedung Panjang, Jalan Pancoran, Glodok, Jalan Perniagaan Pasar Pagi, Jalan Susilo and Jalan Muwardi.

Seven regions in North Jakarta remained inundated by floodwaters, including Jembatan Tiga, Jalan Pluit Putra, Jalan Pluit Raya Selatan, Muara Baru, Pluit Timur and Gedong Panjang. Floodwaters in some areas still stood as high as 70 centimeters.

Apart from displacing more than 30,000 people, at least 20 people reportedly died as a result of the flooding.

“Out of the 20 people that got killed , most of them died in locations that were far from the overflowing rivers,” Sutopo said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has forecast heavy rain for Greater Jakarta from January 23rd, Wednesday through Jan. 29.Tuesday. 

Jakarta may have suffered Rp. 20 trillion in  losses due to the recent floods.

Jakarta may have suffered  losses of up to Rp20 trillion (US$2 billion) as a result of the floods that have inundated the capital since January 15.

In order to better tackle floods in the future, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo proposed the construction of a multipurpose underground tunnel in the city.

"Building a deep tunnel can be part of a long-term solution to Jakarta`s flooding problem," he said, adding that the project might require an investment of Rp16 trillion.

The governor also expressed hope that Jakarta`s Members of Parliament would support the plan to build the multipurpose tunnel soon.

Earlier, Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association (APINDO) chairman Sofjan Wanandi stated that businesses in Jakarta lost at least Rp1 trillion due to delayed delivery of raw materials in the wake of floods.

"The minimum loss is a total of Rp1 trillion, incurred by various industries - especially upstream industries - because the raw materials cannot be delivered to the downstream industries," he said.

Sofjan noted that the estimated loss did not include the losses that were yet to be reported by several other industries, such as the insurance industry, since the flood had claimed many lives and destroyed a number of vehicles.

"There are many industries that have not yet reported their material losses, but it seems the retail industry has been hit the hardest," he said.

Sofyan stated that the flooding hampered many businesses in the Jakarta Industrial Estate Pulogadung (JIEP).

"I have received a report that out of a total of 375 factories in JIEP, more than half have been forced to shut down because the workers are unable to get inside," he said.

The floods disrupted the transportation of raw materials from the capital city to the industrial areas. Besides, electricity supply was also cut to many areas, such as Pulogadung, Tangerang and Banten.

Sofyan said the upstream industry resumed normal activities on Monday, but transportation expenses had increased as a result of the floods.

"Our expenditure has gone up, but if we raise the price of our goods, no one would want to buy them. We are yet to find a solution to this problem," he added

Source : Jakarta may suffer Rp20 trillion in losses due to flood: Governor

Australian Foreign Minister expressed concern over the Jakarta floods

 Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr

Expressed concern  over the Jakarta Floods

Jakarta Floods

I have today spoken with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Dr Marty Natalegawa regarding devastation caused by severe flooding in Jakarta, which has resulted in at least 5 deaths and the evacuation of 20,000 people.

I expressed condolences on behalf of Australia for the families and friends of those killed in the floods, and support for Indonesia’s Government as it responds to this emergency.

Australia and Indonesia share common experiences of natural disaster.

Australians would recall Indonesia’s generous assistance in the aftermath of the Queensland floods, including through the offer of $US1 million for disaster relief.

I made clear that Australia – through our Embassy in Jakarta - stood ready to assist in the flood relief effort, should this be requested.

Released on 18 January 2013

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr

 Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr was the longest continuously serving Premier in New South Wales history.

He served as Leader of the Opposition from 1988 until his election as Premier in March 1995. He was re-elected in 1999 and again in March 2003 securing an historic third four-year term.

He retired from politics in 2005 after over 10 years as Premier.

In March 2012 he was designated by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as Australia's Foreign Minister. He was elected to the Australian Senate to fill a casual Senate vacancy and sworn in to the Senate and Cabinet on March 13, 2012.

The Capital of Indonesia, Jakarta,  has been  declared in a state of emergency until Jan. 27,2013
to see the affected areas click the link below  

Flood prone and inundated areas in Jakarta 2013 

As residents of Jakarta prepared for the worst, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) formed two response teams, according to BNPB chief Syamsul Maarif.

The first team, led by the Public Works Ministry’s directorate for rivers and beaches, will handle problems associated the city’s rivers. The team’s principal task is repairing the damage to the 50-meter section of the West Flood Canal that collapsed on Thursday.

After the canal collapsed near Jl. Latuharhari in Menteng, Central Jakarta, floods inundated nearby railway tracks, Jl. Teluk Betung and the major thoroughfares of the Sudirman Central Business District, Jl. Jend. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin.

Meanwhile, the second team, led by the BNPB’s disaster mitigation and logistics divisions, will aid those displaced by the flood. “The second team has set up 20 soup kitchens and distributed more than 30,000 blankets and 15,000 mats,” Syamsul said.

The evacuees would require 372 tons of rice in coming days, 200 tons of which have been secured.

According to the agency, as of Saturday ,January 19th. 2013, there have been 102 sub-districts identified to be inundated. More than 97,000 families and almost 250,000 people have been affected and more than 18,000 people have been evacuated. Twelve people have died in flood-related incidents in Jakarta, bringing the flood death toll in Greater Jakarta to 20.

The UOB Plaza has four underground floors which have been heavily  inundated with water due to the collapsed dyke at latuharhary, Menteng.  Reportedly some flood victims got trapped at the flooded basement of UOB Plaza at MH Thamrin Nine  Jakarta,. which covers a total area of 5,000 square meters. The first underground floor is five-meters high, while the other three floors are four-meters high each.

UOB Plaza's management hope only four people were trapped and no more casualties are there. SAR Team, however, continued the search because hundreds of luxury cars were reportedly trapped at the basement since Thursday.

Heavy floods still affect , Otista, kampung Pulo, Jatinegara, Aesemka Glodok (60cm) Muara Karang, , Muara Baru ( 1.2 - 2 meter ), Teluk Gong ( 1 - 1.5  meter ),  and also in the upscale areas, the luxury landed residential properties such as  Pantai Mutiara (3 meters), Pluit Samudera (1.8 meters), Pluit Murni and Pluit Permai (2 meters), Pluit Utara (1.8 meters), Pluit Barat (1.6 meters), and Pluit Kencana (2 meters). “In the meantime, joint personnel from SAR, TNI, Satpol PP, Penjaringan Sector Police, and North Jakarta Fire and Disaster Handling Sub-Department are evacuating thousands of residents because the water was getting higher,” he said on Saturday in North Jakarta 
Amid the heavy downpour and chilly night Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo along with his wife and entourage, was visiting the area inhabited by 4,600 people being affected by the recent floods in East Pejaten,Jakarta Heavy Flooding in Jakarta 2013

The most devastating floods that  have  inundated  most of Jakarta areas since 2007 are expected to get even worse when the city is buffeted by monsoon rains this weekend, according to officials.

Heavy flooding in Jakarta this week has killed 11 people, driven thousands more from their homes and paralyzed large parts of the city.

Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Agung Laksono announced on Thursday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had raised the emergency level for Jakarta to “alert” (siaga), the highest level.

Afterwards, The Jakarta Governor Jokowi declared a state of emergency in the capital until Jan. 27, being resolved to take the necessary actions to prevent flooding after the current situation was under control.

The governor said that the emergency decree gave the administration the authority to make quick decisions. “We can, for example, hold a procurement without having to go through the tender process.”

Jakarta was paralyzed on Thursday after a prolonged downpour caused the Ciliwung River to overflow, leading to massive flooding that inundated the capital’s main thoroughfares and landmarks, halted traffic and brought public services to a halt.

The intense rainfall, according to the Meteorology Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), was attributed to the arrival of the Asian monsoon, which is expected to affect many parts of the nation over the next three days.

Mulyono Prabowo, meteorology publication chief at the BMKG, was forecasting medium to heavy rain at night until Saturday, with the potential for more intense storms in the week ahead.

 “The warning level will remain elevated until conditions improve in Jakarta,” Agung  further told reporters after a meeting at Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s office with officials from relevant ministries and state agencies.

“Current weather reports say the  weather may be going to fly  into a rage  for the next few days. We need to keep our eyes open,” Agung added.

The alert status authorizes the central government and city administration to take maximum measures to assist flood victims, including the deployment of the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI).

“The central government and the city administration assure the people that we will be able to deal with the disaster,” Agung said.

Sources:

Australian Foreign Minister Press release 

The Jakarta Post