Jakarta Flood, January 17, 2013

I was trapped in the middle of Jalan Thamrin on the morning of January 17, 2013 flood in Jakarta. I was on my way to the office to Jalan Fatmawati, South of Jakarta. When I saw an SUV that headed South turned back, I decided to go North. I thought I could find another way up North. Couple minutes later, different kind of SUV that headed North turned back.

Local authority stated in the aftermath that Jakarta municipal had managed to reduce the flood area from 80 square kilometer in 2007 down to 40 square kilometer in 2013.

Assuming the flood reaches an average of 50 centimeter within that 40 square kilometer, if I do my math right, it translates to that there was 20 million cubic meter of flood water even after the government completed the Eastern Flood Channel.

The Western Flood Channel was supposedly completed by the Dutch, during its occupation in Indonesia.

I like that the government is considering to construct the deep tunnel to absorb the flood. For 20 million cubic meter of water. The deep tunnel must have size 25 m x 25 m x 32 km. I seriously doubt that Jakarta has that luxury of reaching 25 meter above the sea level within the stretch of 32 clicks.

To compensate the the height of the city above the sea level, the government can design a girth of 12.5 m x 12.5 m within the stretch of 32 km, but it will means the government must construct 4 of these deep tunnels.