generalspeaking

No Problem ...

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country. It is an economically and socially advanced country. The nation has posted indices of impressive economic growth in the past number of years. It therefore has the financial wherewithal as well as the technical expertise to invest usefully in upgrading its inadequate infrastructure. It has long been known that the city of 14 million people is susceptible to flooding.

Not the disastrous flooding seen in Jakarta today, but seasonal flooding of the coping variety. What has latterly occurred requires more than coping. It's doubtful that any resident of the city has ever experienced a situation as dire as what has now occurred, with most of Indonesia's capital city well under water; every neighbourhood has been affected, from the poorest slums to the elite areas of the wealthy along with downtown office towers.

In some areas the streets are flooded to a depth of several metres. The hills to the south of the city have been deforested, disturbing the natural ecosystem. The hundreds of rivers and waterways that cut across the city are clogged with refuse, and considered to be one of the sources behind the floods. Floods caused by rivers swollen beyond their capacity to be restrained as a result of a long monsoon season. And then exacerbated by additional heavy rain.

 

Twenty thousand people have been displaced at last estimate, with four people known to have perished in the flooding.  Schools have been closed, no one is able to make their way to the business districts to fill up the offices and assume normal working days. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stood surrounded by water to await the arrival of Argentina's President, on a state visit.

"I have no problem with the palace being flooded. The most important thing is the people are protected", he declared nobly. Are the people protected?

It is at this point that responsible national lawmakers and administrators should be scratching their heads wondering why it hadn't occurred to them to use some of that vast earning power and the treasury that resulted to invest in upgrading the inadequate urban infrastructure of a country whose people are 'protected'.

Labels: Indonesia, Natural Disasters, Nature

posted by Pieface @ Friday, January 18, 2013