The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) provided pump assistance for flood mitigation in Kaligawe area, Semarang City, Central Java Province.

“Today, I brought in pumps from Bengawan Solo River, Serayu-Opak River, Cimanuk River, and from Jakarta as well,” PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono informed after reviewing flood handling at Sringin River Pump House, Semarang City, on Tuesday.

He said he hoped that the provision of large-capacity suction pumps would accelerate flood mitigation in Kaligawe, with floodwaters submerging roads on the north coast of Semarang City.

“At the latest, tomorrow the road will be dry,” he added.

He explained that flood handling in Semarang city was carried out using the polder system, which covered the areas of West Semarang, Central Semarang, and East Semarang.

He informed that the polder system was originally used to handle tidal floods.

“Now, the tidal flood has been handled, especially if we have toll roads with sea walls in the future. This is flood handling from upstream,” he said.

The minister informed that his ministry will help build eight sluice gates at Tenggang River Pump House and six sluice gates at Sringin River Pump House to handle floods in Semarang.

“The sluice gate will open and close according to the tide. Later, if the water is high, the gate will be closed, if it is low tide, we will open it so the water can flow,” he explained.

Earlier, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Meteorology, Geophysics, and Climatology Agency (BMKG), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and the regional government had carried out weather modification to break up or reduce rain intensity to prevent flooding in Semarang.

The authorities have warned of the potential for moderate to heavy rainfall in several districts of Central Java that are spread across mountainous areas, which could likely trigger landslides and flooding on the mainland.

Source: Antara News