Torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, and its surrounding regions, displacing thousands of residents and causing extensive property damage.

Water levels have surged up to three meters in some areas, submerging more than 1,000 homes and numerous vehicles, leaving entire neighborhoods underwater.

In response to the worsening crisis, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has raised the city’s alert status to its second-highest level and directed emergency teams to deploy water pumps to ease inundation. Authorities are also implementing weather modification strategies, including cloud seeding, to reduce further rainfall and alleviate the crisis.

The neighboring city of Bekasi has been particularly hard-hit, with floodwaters inundating a hospital, forcing an urgent evacuation of patients and causing power outages in several wards. Rescue teams using rubber boats have been working tirelessly to extract residents trapped in their homes since early morning.

The Greater Jakarta metropolitan area, home to over 30 million people, is no stranger to flooding, but the current deluge has been described as the worst since 2020, when record-breaking rainfall led to 60 fatalities.

To combat the relentless downpour, Indonesian authorities have commenced cloud seeding operations, a method involving salt flares being shot into clouds to induce precipitation over the ocean or less populated areas, diverting rainfall away from Jakarta.

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia’s weather agency, stated that while stopping rainfall completely is impossible, efforts are being made to reduce its intensity and impact on highly populated areas.

Government agencies are closely monitoring the situation and have coordinated large-scale relief efforts, including evacuations, food distribution, and emergency medical services.

Meteorologists warn that heavy rainfall could persist until March 11, raising concerns about prolonged flooding and additional evacuations. Officials are urging residents to stay updated with weather alerts and follow guidance from emergency responders to ensure safety.

As Jakarta battles the disaster, authorities continue working to prevent further devastation and assist affected communities in what has become one of the city’s most severe flood events in years. (ILKHA)