Floods in Jakarta: Relief efforts continue
07/02/2007
Five days after the flooding that hit Jakarta and the surrounding areas, roads, houses and office complexes are still submerged in water. The resulting damage has been huge, and more complex than expected.
Since Sunday, SOS Children has been providing support to the flood victims in a number of areas in and around the Indonesian capital.
In the district of Kebon Nanas, 210 families have found refuge under flyover of one of the main highways, the only dry location in the area. Due to limited resources, only one tent could be made available, which is now providing shelter to 16 toddlers. The others, including a number of children, have made do with the shelter provided by the road above. With no bedding, these families had to sleep on the bare ground. The children’s health was suffering in these conditions and many were suffering from skin diseases, coughs and flu.
SOS Children has provided the families with cooked meals, water, milk, biscuits, noodles and rice as well as clean children’s clothing and mats to sleep on.
The sub-district office of Kampung Makasar has become temporary home to over 400 families and over 2000 people have sought refuge at the “Gembala Baik” School in the district of Jatinegara. Conditions in these temporary shelters are slightly more comfortable than in Kebon Nanas, with mats covering the floor for the people to sit and sleep, but the families were still suffering from lack of food and water and still in their dirty, wet clothes. SOS Children therefore distributed cooked meals, milk, biscuits, rice and water and provided children with fresh clothing.
The residential areas of Pulo Mas and Kelapa Gading have been cut off due to the flooding, stranding over 7000 people. Thanks to the use of a military rowing boat, a team of SOS staff were the first to reach the area and distributed emergency rations of food and water. Having been isolated for days already, the need for medical supplies in this area is increasing dramatically. SOS Children will return tomorrow to distribute medicines and other necessities.
Although the flooding has submerged much of Jakarta for almost a week, the distribution of food, medicine, and other supplies are still very uneven. SOS Children is working to ensure that all areas receive at least a basic level of assistance.
Relevant Countries: Indonesia.