Severe flooding engulfs Jakarta, 29 neighborhoods submerged

Flooding has overwhelmed Jakarta, submerging residential areas across the city.

The Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), quoted by Russian media, reported on the morning of March 18 that the situation is severe, with 29 neighbourhoods affected by the floods, per Caliber.Az.

Mohamad Johan, head of BPBD Jakarta's Data and Information Center, explained that the eastern, southern, and western parts of Jakarta are facing the worst of the flooding, with streets and yards completely inundated. The heavy rains, which have persisted for several days, are the primary cause of the flooding. As the water level rose, rivers overflowed, resulting in widespread inundation across much of the capital.

In some areas, water depths have reached up to three meters, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes. Indonesia's meteorological agency has warned that heavy rainfall may continue, heightening the risk of additional flooding.

In an effort to mitigate the impact, authorities have employed cloud dispersal technology to manage rainfall. Fifteen aircraft have been deployed to disperse a total of 12 tons of sodium salt into the sky above Jakarta. Over the course of 31.5 hours, the planes conducted 15 sorties.

“We continue to coordinate with Indonesia's Agency of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics, and we are closely monitoring weather conditions,” said Michael Sitangganga, BPBD Logistics and Equipment Subgroup Head. “Our officers are ensuring that Jakarta is not affected by hydrometeorological disasters.”

As part of the cloud dispersal operation, experts also sprayed 2.4 tons of hygroscopic material to absorb water molecules, flying over central areas for more than five hours.

Budi Harsoyo, acting director of weather management at the agency, explained that efforts were focused on preventing potential rainfall in the West Java region, particularly from March 17-18.

Such weather modification operations are common during heavy rains and extreme weather events, aiming to prevent flooding and increase urban resilience to natural disasters.

Flooding is not uncommon in Jakarta, but the current crisis has been one of the worst in recent years. Experts emphasize the need for urgent modernization of the city's infrastructure and drainage systems to reduce the risk of future flooding.

By Tamilla Hasanova