JAKARTA: Residents of Kampong Pulo in Kampung Melayu sub-district, East Jakarta, fled their homes early Friday morning when they were flooded by water from Ciliwung River, even though they had no rain at all.
The floodwaters, which reached as high as 1.5 meters when they rushed in around 4 a.m., were caused by overflows from higher areas around Bogor, West Java.
"Yesterday (Thursday) it was raining in Bogor and the water level at the Katulampa sluice gate in Bogor reached 100 centimeters," an officer at the Jakarta Crisis Center said.
The normal water level at the Katulampa sluice gate is 80 centimeters.
Several neighborhood units in the sub-district were still inundated at noon, although the water level had receded to about 1 meter high.
Residents along the Ciliwung River are no strangers to such floods. Many have built two-story houses and keep their valuables upstairs
