Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) called on residents of Jakarta and its satellite town of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) to remain alert because floods were still threatening the areas until March.
Head of BNPB's Information Data Center Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Sunday that residents living in areas prone to bloods need to remain alert.
"Jabodetabek is still facing flood threat until March next month because now it is still in rainy season," he said.
He said the rainfalls in Java were smaller in February than in January but they would increase in March, so that people should keep watch of floods and landslides.
"People must prepare tools or other kinds of equipment that could be used during an emergency situation. One should remain cautious when traveling on the street," he added.
He said that based on his agency's monitoring so far, the death of victims during the recent floods in Jakarta was due to the fact that some were electrocuted and some others slipped in fell into sewage.
The number of death toll of floods in Jakarta until January 26 reached 23 people, according to the data of Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD).
According to the data, the floods killed at least 11 people in East Jakarta, five in North Jakarta, three in Central Jakarta, three in West Jakarta, and one in South Jakarta.
Bambang said the flood victims had died because of among other things drowning, swept away by flood, electric shock and illness.
One of the casualties was a five-year-old toddler who had slipped into a water ditch in Duri Kosambi village of West Jakarta.
"We have urged the flood victims to be careful, particularly if there are broken electricity wires," Bambang said.
The BPBD said flood condition in Jakarta has receded in the second week. The data noted there are 38,079 flood refugees who are being accommodated in 150 evacuation shelters in Jakarta.
The flood has receded as rain intensity has decreased after the Jakarta Regional Administration, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) modified weather in the area.
Several flood victims have come back to their homes to clean the houses from mud and waste. (*/DWA)
