Floods in Jakarta

Flooding in Indonesia

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A car tries to drive through flooded street in Central Jakarta, 17 January 2013

Flooding in Jakarta occurs on the northwest coast of Java, at the mouth of the Ciliwung River on Jakarta Bay, which is an inlet of the Java Sea and has happened repeatedly, recently in 1996, 1999, 2007, 2013, 2020 and 2025.[1]

The most recent major flood occurred in early March 2025 and flooded the homes of over 10,000 people in the city and province of Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia). The same flood also affected over 61,000 people in neighboring Bekasi city and over 4,000 people in neighboring Tangerang city.[2][3] Residents of nearby Bogor reported nearly eight hours of extreme rainfall during the March 2025 flood.[2]

## Jakarta geography

[edit]

Population density and height above sea level in Jakarta (2010).

See also: Jakarta § Geography

The area of the Jakarta Special District is 662 km2 of land area and 6,977 km2 of sea area.[4]

Jakarta lies in a low, flat basin, averaging 7 metres (23 ft) above sea level;[citation needed] 40% of Jakarta, particularly the northern areas, is below sea level,[5] while the southern parts are comparatively hilly.

Rivers flow from the Puncak highlands to the south of the city, across the city northwards towards the Java Sea; the Ciliwung River divides the city into the western and eastern principalities. Other rivers include the Pesanggrahan, and Sunter high sea tides.

Other contributing factors include clogged sewage pipes and waterways that service an increasing population, in addition to deforestation near the rapidly urbanizing Bogor[2] and Depok in Jakarta's hinterland.

Jakarta is an urban area with complex socio-economic problems that indirectly contribute to triggering a flood event.[6]

## 1960 floods

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In February 1960, flooding occurred in the new suburb of Grogol. Despite the flood-proof planning of Grogol suburb, the area was flooded to knee and waist height. This was the first crisis for Governor Soemarno who was installed only days before the floods began.[7]

## 1996 floods

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Major floods occurred in 1996[8][9] when 5,000 hectares of land were flooded.[10]

## 2007 floods

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Further information: 2007 Jakarta floods

Major floods also occurred in 2007.[11] Losses from infrastructure damage and state revenue were at least 5.2 trillion rupiah (572 million US dollars) and at least 190,000 people have fallen ill due flood related illnesses. Approximately 70% of Jakarta's total area was flooded with water up to four meters deep in parts of the city.[12][13] 80 people were killed in the floods.

## 2013 floods

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Further information: 2013 Jakarta flood

On January 15, 2013, a serious flood affected downtown Jakarta, as well as several other areas surrounding the city, such as West Java and Banten, as a result of heavy rain and waterways clogged with garbage and other kinds of debris. A 30-meter-long section of Jakarta's West Flood Canal dike in Menteng collapsed, which quickly caused flooding in nearby areas. A temporary retaining wall was constructed until workers finished rebuilding a section of a canal dike.[14] Flooding was reported at the presidential palace, forcing the postponement of a meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his visiting Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernandez.[15] There were 47 deaths being reported.[16] Evacuations were carried out in parts of Jakarta. An estimated 20,000 people were evacuated as of 17 January 2013[17][18]

## 2020 floods

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See also: 2020 Jakarta floods

Floods occurred throughout Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi on the early hours of January 1, 2020, due to the overnight rain which dumped nearly 381 mm (15.0 in) — more than 3 times the average amount.[19] The massive downpour caused the Ciliwung and Cisadane river to overflow.[20] Multiple floodgates were assigned emergency status due to the high water levels after the rainfall.[21]

At least 48 deaths had been reported, due to landslides, hypothermia, drowning, and electrocution.[22][23] Many parts of the city had been left without power, as the power was switched off for safety reasons.[24][25]

Multiple transportation networks were disrupted including light rail transit,[26] taxis,[27][28] trains,[29] toll roads,[30] and an airport.[31] Soekarno-Hatta Airport and the Mass Rapid Transit lines were operating as per normal.[32][33]

Halim Perdanakusuma Airport was closed early in the morning due to the airport runways being submerged. Air traffic was temporarily redirected to Sukarno-Hatta Airport.[31] Halim Perdanakusuma was reopened a couple of hours later.

From 6pm on January 1 until 12pm on January 2, 2020, the government temporarily waived all toll road fees in Jakarta.[34]

At many parts of the city, water levels reached 30 to 200 cm. At some places, such as Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta, water levels peaked at 4 meters.[35] More than 19,000 residents had been evacuated to higher grounds. The government had designated schools and government buildings as temporary shelters.[36] In several areas, evacuation efforts were hampered by rushing waters and blackouts.[37][38]

On 25 February 2020, Jakarta witnessed another flood.[39]

## 2021 floods

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Several areas in Jakarta and the neighbouring cities of Tangerang and Bekasi were inundated in water up to 2m deep on 20 February. At least five people were killed, four of them were children who were swept away by the strong river currents in separate places in South and West Jakarta. Two hundred neighbourhoods have been affected and some 1,380 Jakarta residents were evacuated.[40]

## 2025 floods

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Further information: 2025 Jakarta floods

In March 2025, major flooding occurred in Jakarta, and nearby cities within its metropolitan area which are located in Banten and West Java provinces. The flood was caused due to the overflowing of rivers that are mostly located in Bogor due to high rainfall that affected Jakarta and its metropolitan area.[41]

In March 2025, the Indonesian Navy's Marine Corps conducted rescue operations in Greater Jakarta, including East Jakarta and Bekasi, West Java, where floodwaters reached depths of up to two meters. The marines prioritized evacuating children and the elderly using motorized inflatable boats and established emergency posts to provide medical assistance to affected residents.[42][failed verification]

At least nine people have been killed, and more than 90,000 people displaced.[43]

## Remedies

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### Flood canals

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Main article: Jakarta Flood Canal

East Flood Canal (Banjir Kanal Timur, BKT) in eastern Jakarta was a national project which began in 2003 and late 2009 reached the Java sea and will be accomplished in 2011. It was 23.5 kilometers length which linking five rivers: Cipinang, Sunter, Buaran, Jati Kramat and Cakung. It will reduce flood and hope as a 2 kilometers rowing sport venue too.[44] To ease from flood, Jakarta Emergency Dredging Initiative (JEDI) phase-2 will make underground canal (siphon) from Ciliwung river to Cipinang river and then go through to East Flood Canal. It will lower floods at Cawang, Kampung Melayu, Bukit Duri and Kebun Baru. It is one kilometer long and was finished in 2016.[45]

### Using participatory mapping for disaster preparedness in Jakarta

[edit]

For managing risk effectively, it needs extensive data for making decisions on investments in preparedness, mitigation, and response. Until recently, detailed information on disaster situation (flooding) was hardly available at local level. A pilot project in Jakarta, led by the Province of Jakarta's Disaster Management Agency collected high-resolution data to inform flood preparedness and contingency. Later, the data, which was accessible by the community and the general public, was used in 2011/2012 Jakarta contingency emergency planning exercise. The risk information it produced was very useful for decision makers in preparedness, development and investment planning.[46] Petabencana.id can now be consulted and it contains a flood map.[47][48] Some additional info may be found at OpenStreetMap. It is an online, open-source platform, which relies on participatory mapping conducted by local communities, private and public actors who collect the detailed information about a given area and share it, meet the needs in disaster situation.

### Weather modification

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To reduce flood risks, national and provincial disaster agencies have used weather modification since 2013.[49] This involves flying planes to conduct cloud seeding by dropping salt-based chemicals over the sea north of Jakarta, with the aim of shifting rainfall away from land and toward the sea. As of March 2025, each flyover cost about 200 million rupiahs (US$12,292).[2]

## Continuing issues

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See also: Giant Sea Wall Jakarta

### Jakarta sinking

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Alongside flooding from rivers, Jakarta is also sinking about 5 to 10 centimeters each year and up to 20 centimeters in northern Jakarta mainland. From 2000 to 2050, the potential coastal flood extent is estimated to increase by 110.5 km2 due to both land subsidence and sea level rise.[50] Land subsidence in Jakarta is mainly caused by the overuse of groundwater.[51] At the same time, the groundwater has lost its capacity to recharge due to the lack of watershed areas and overpopulation in the capital. Without any groundwater regulation in place, buildings in Jakarta are drawing water from the ground at an unprecedented rate. For households, especially those at the bottom of the economic pyramid, access to piped water is considered a luxury. Not only must the customer pay for the tariff, which is higher than other Indonesian cities,[52] the installment fees often burden the poor households to connect to the tap.

In addition, residents consider piped water (and to some extent groundwater) quality in Jakarta to be of poor quality, thus explaining why only 28 percent of Jakarta households drink piped water and groundwater compared to 95 percent in 2000.[53] Apart from drinking, people in Jakarta still use groundwater, and to some extent piped water and wended water.[54] Such hydrological behaviour has led to the overuse of groundwater, thus contributing to the land subsidence.

In an effort to solve the problem, construction of an 8 km sea wall along the coast was officially launched on October 9, 2014.[55]

## Economical loss

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The economic losses caused by floods in DKI Jakarta reach Rp 2.1 trillion per year. Mitigation efforts against floods need to be continuously strengthened in order to reduce these losses.[56]

It is estimated that "by 2030, 15 million people and $177 billion in urban property will be impacted annually by coastal flooding, while 132 million people and $535 billion in urban property will be impacted annually due to riverine flooding." (World Resources Institute, 2020)[full citation needed]

## See also

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* 2013 Jakarta flood
* Climate change in Indonesia

## References

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1. ^ See petabencana flood maps
2. ^ a b c d "Floods Inundate Jakarta After Cuts to Disaster Relief". Global Press Journal. 2025-07-06. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
3. ^ BNPB, PUSDATINKOM. "Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana". BNPB (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-07-11.
4. ^ Based on Governor Decree in 2007, No. 171. taken from Statistics DKI Jakarta Provincial Office, Jakarta in Figures, 2008, BPS, Province of DKI Jakarta
5. ^ "The Tides: Efforts Never End to Repel an Invading Sea". Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
6. ^ "Key to Jakarta's floods: Basin flood management". The Jakarta Post. 22 March 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2011.
7. ^ Merrillees 2015, p. 17.
8. ^ "Floodwaters back in Jakarta". Asiaviews. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
9. ^ "Floods in DKI Jakarta Province, updated 19 February 2007 Emergency Situation Report No. 6". ReliefWeb. 19 February 2007. Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
10. ^ "1996 Global Register of Major Flood Events". Dartmouth Flood Observatory. Dartmouth College. Archived from the original on 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2013-01-19.
11. ^ "Asia". Bloomberg. 4 February 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
12. ^ Jakarta Flood Feb 2007 « (Geo) Information for All
13. ^ 2007 Global Register of Major Flood Events Archived 2019-07-18 at the Wayback Machine, Dartmouth Flood Observatory, 1 May 2008
14. ^ Siregar, Hotman (19 January 2013). "Floods Recede in Central Jakarta, as Damaged Dike Repaired". Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
15. ^ Jensen, Fergus; Rieka Rahadiana (2013-01-17). "Floods paralyze Indonesian capital, heavy rains continue". Reuters. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
16. ^ "Daftar Korban Meninggal Banjir 2013". BPBD Jakarta. Archived from the original on 3 May 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
17. ^ "Evacuations as Jakarta floods". The Sydney Morning Herald.
18. ^ "Thousands evacuated amid Jakarta floods - Asia-Pacific". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
19. ^ "New Year's Eve flooding kills nine, displaces thousands in Jakarta". UPI. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
20. ^ "9 dead, thousands caught in flooding in Indonesia's capital". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
21. ^ Afifa, Laila (2020-01-01). "New Year; Jakarta Braces for Flood as Rain Pours since Evening". Tempo. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
22. ^ "[UPDATED] Multiple deaths reported as floods, landslides strike Greater Jakarta". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
23. ^ "9 dead after Indonesian capital hit by New Year flooding". CNA. Archived from the original on 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
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26. ^ detikcom, Tim. "Banjir, Sejumlah Perjalanan KRL Terganggu". detiknews. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
27. ^ "Pul Taksi Terendam Banjir, Manajemen Blue Bird Fokus Evakuasi dan Data Kerusakan". liputan6.com (in Indonesian). 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
28. ^ "Banjir di Pool Taksi Bluebird Kramat Jati dan Puri Indah, Mobil Terendam Sampai Atap". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
29. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber (January 2020). "Berikut Perincian Kereta Jarak Jauh yang Terganggu akibat Banjir Jakarta". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
30. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber (January 2020). "5 Tol yang Sempat Tergenang Banjir di Awal Tahun 2020". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
31. ^ a b Afifa, Laila (2020-01-01). "Flooding; Halim Perdanakusuma Airport Runway Closed". Tempo. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
32. ^ "MRT Beroperasi Normal, LRT Setop Sementara Gara-gara Banjir di Jakarta". liputan6.com (in Indonesian). 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
33. ^ "Banjir Jakarta, Bandara Soekarno Hatta Beroperasi Normal". nasional. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
34. ^ "Banjir di Jakarta, Jalan Tol Dalam Kota Gratis Selama 18 Jam". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
35. ^ "Banjir Jakarta dan sekitarnya: Sembilan meninggal, lebih dari 19.000 warga ibu kota mengungsi". 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
36. ^ "Nine Killed as Jakarta Hit by Worst Flooding Since 2013". www.bloomberg.com. 2020-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-01.
37. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber (January 2020). "Arus Deras Jadi Kendala Evakuasi di Cipinang Melayu". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
38. ^ Media, Kompas Cyber (January 2020). "Listrik Mati Total di Jatimulya Bekasi, Sulitkan Proses Evakuasi". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-01-01.
39. ^ Orecchio-Egresitz, Haven. "Flooding in Jakarta is so bad the government is planning to move the city 100 miles away. Here are photos of the devastation". Insider. Retrieved 2020-02-26.
40. ^ "Thousands evacuated as floods hit Jakarta and nearby areas after heavy rain". The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
41. ^ "Hundreds evacuated as torrential rains flood Greater Jakarta - Jakarta". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2025-03-05.
42. ^ "Indonesia races to aid flood victims". dw.com. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 2025-03-06.
43. ^ "Sebanyak 61 Ribu Jiwa Terdampak Banjir di Kota Bekasi, Jumlah Kerusakan Bangunan Masih Didata" (in Indonesian). Tribun Network. 6 March 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
44. ^ Minister: Jakarta East Flood Canal accomplished in 2011. Waspada.co.id (30 November 2010). Retrieved 12 June 2011.
45. ^ :: Wartakotalive.com | Berita : Kali Ciliwung Disodet Archived 2012-03-26 at the Wayback Machine. Wartakota.co.id (14 April 2010). Retrieved 12 June 2011.
46. ^ "Using Participatory Mapping for Disaster Preparedness in Jakarta" (PDF). Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 October 2016.
47. ^ Petabencana.id
48. ^ Riskmap
49. ^ "Indonesia tries "cloud seeding" to prevent flooding in Jakarta - Indonesia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2013-03-04. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
50. ^ Takagi, Hiroshi; Esteban, Miguel; Mikami, Takahito; Fujii, Daisuke (2016-09-27). "Projection of coastal floods in 2050 Jakarta". Urban Climate. 17. Elsevier: 135–145\. Bibcode:2016UrbCl..17..135T. doi:10.1016/j.uclim.2016.05.003.
51. ^ Onodera, S., Saito, M., Sawano, M., Hosono, T., Taniguchi, M., Shimada, J., Umezawa, Y., Lubis, R.F., Buapeng, S., Delinom, R.2008. “Effects of intensive urbanization on the intrusion of shallow groundwater into deep groundwater: Examples from Bangkok and Jakarta”. Science of the Total Environment. 404(2-3). 401-410. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.08.003
52. ^ Zamzami, Irfan, and Nila Ardhianie. “An End to the Struggle? Jakarta Residents Reclaim Their Water System.” In Our Public Water Future: The Global Experience with Remunicipalisation, 40–49. Amsterdam: Transnational Institute (TNI), 2015. https://www.ft.dk/samling/20151/almdel/efk/nilag/408/1667841.pdf.
53. ^ Indonesia Statistical Agency. “Water Supply Statistics DKI Jakarta 2013–2015.” Indonesia Statistical Agency, July 25, 2017. https://jakarta.bps.go.id/publication/2017/07/25/afe14bedf87387ac239cebb8/statistik-air-bersih-dki-jakarta-2013-2015.
54. ^ Ismowati, M. “Profile of Pam Jaya and Private Partners in Clean Water Supply Jakartan (Case Study Year 1998–2012).” KnE Social Sciences, August 29, 2018, 481–93. doi:10.18502/kss.v3i10.2928.
55. ^ Kusuma, Adriana Nina (9 October 2014). "Indonesia Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Giant Sea Wall". The Jakarta Globe. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
56. ^ Ishlahiyah, Atiek (May 30, 2024). "The impact of the Jakarta floods causes losses of IDR 2.1 trillion per year". KOMPAS.id.

## Cited works

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* Merrillees, Scott (2015). Jakarta: Portraits of a Capital 1950–1980. Jakarta: Equinox Publishing. ISBN 9786028397308.