Severe flooding paralyzes Indonesian capital after torrential rains

Jakarta
Severe flooding inundated Jakarta and its surrounding satellite cities on Tuesday following relentless heavy rain, leaving thousands of houses submerged and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.

Videos shared by residents showed floodwaters reaching rooftops and submerging vehicles, while widespread inundation caused major traffic disruptions. Local media reported that emergency response teams, including the regional disaster management agency, fire department, and search and rescue teams, were deployed for evacuations and relief efforts.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had predicted the floods, citing atmospheric waves such as the Equatorial Rossby and Kelvin waves, coupled with low-pressure systems and wind convergence. BMKG chief Dwikorita Karnawati warned that extreme weather is expected to persist in Jakarta and nearby cities for the next week.

To mitigate the crisis, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced weather modification operations (OMC) to reduce rainfall intensity until Saturday. BNPB chief Lt. Gen. Suharyanto expressed hope that this intervention would help control further flooding. Torrential rains also caused several rivers, including the Ciliwung River, to overflow, affecting 1,446 people from 224 homes in a single village. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, large parts of Jakarta, home to 11 million people, were left paralyzed as entire neighborhoods were submerged. The ongoing flooding highlights Jakarta’s recurring battle with extreme weather and inadequate drainage infrastructure.