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The losses caused by the massive flooding in Greater Jakarta
last week may reach up to Rp 8 trillion (US$879 million), almost double
the earlier estimate of about Rp 4.3 trillion, a senior official at the
National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) says.
Speaking Monday in Jakarta, Lucky Eko Wuryanto, the Bappenas director
for urban and rural spatial planning, said that the latest estimate was
based on figures provided by industry and institutions affected by the
flooding.
"Bappenas will have the final figure for flood losses on Feb. 16, which
will then be used to decide how much the government will spend on
reconstruction and rehabilitation work," said Lucky.
The final figure would include damage to public and privately owned
infrastructure, and losses suffered by small and medium enterprises,
and the industrial sector.
State Minister for National Development Planning Paskah Suzetta said
last week that the losses caused by the one-week-long floods, which
affected more than 60 percent of Jakarta and its surrounding areas,
were estimated at Rp 4.1 trillion.
The public infrastructure damaged by the flooding included 57,470
meters of public roads in Jakarta. The worst damage to the roads
occurred in West Jakarta, affecting a total road length of 22,650
meters, according to the Detik news portal.
Many industrial firms located in Jakarta and its environs, including
Astra Toyota Motor and hundreds of textile and garment producers, were
forced to halt production due to the floods.
Besides spending on rehabilitation and reconstruction, the government
recently decided to contribute Rp 2.7 trillion to accelerate the
construction of new flood defenses in Jakarta.
The decision, announced Saturday by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, will
see the allocation of Rp 500 billion for land procurement for the
construction of the East Flood Canal, and remedial works on the West
Flood Canal. In addition, about Rp 250 billion will be spent on
remedial and dredging works on rivers and the digging of 150 retention
ponds.
Other projects will include the installation of a giant water pump in
Pluit, North Jakarta, drainage works and the installation of pumps
along the Ciliwung River to divert floodwaters to the sea.
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