Jakarta: Indonesia on Thursday officially launched a $263 million project to build a giant sea wall along the coast of its capital, Jakarta, in an attempt to protect businesses and homes from flooding.
Last year's rainy season brought Jakarta to a standstill, causing a river in the city to breach its banks and swamp the central business district, leaving thousands stranded and causing $580 million in damage.
With 40 percent of Jakarta already below sea level, the situation is only expected to worsen for the city of 10 million people as the ground slowly subsides due to excessive pumping of groundwater.
Fixing the flood problem was a promise of President-elect Joko Widodo during his term as the city's governor.
"This project is a must," chief economics minister Chairul Tanjung told reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony.
"If we don't do anything, in 2050 Jakarta will sink due to rapid ground subsidence and rising sea level."
The project, which was designed in consultation with infrastructure and environment officials from the Netherlands, should be able to resist high tides and rising sea level at least until 2030.
The first phase of the project government will include an 8 km (5 mile) wall along the coast, which forms the city's northern edge.
Last year's rainy season brought Jakarta to a standstill, causing a river in the city to breach its banks and swamp the central business district, leaving thousands stranded and causing $580 million in damage.
With 40 percent of Jakarta already below sea level, the situation is only expected to worsen for the city of 10 million people as the ground slowly subsides due to excessive pumping of groundwater.
"This project is a must," chief economics minister Chairul Tanjung told reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony.
Advertisement
The project, which was designed in consultation with infrastructure and environment officials from the Netherlands, should be able to resist high tides and rising sea level at least until 2030.
Advertisement
© Thomson Reuters 2014
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Discovery Of Tiny Arm Bone Sheds Light On Mysterious ''Hobbit'' Humans Drunk Man In Indonesia Stabs Friend To Death For Not Answering Chicken-Egg Riddle 3 Indians Among Crew Detained On Singapore Ship Carrying Drugs: Report Mamata Banerjee's Sunday Ultimatum To CBI For Death Penalty In Rape-Murder Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death "Don't Expect Anything From Me": Kolkata Hospital's New Principal Loses Cool Will Messages From Budget Session Of Parliament Find Reflection In Subsequent Sessions? Mpox Outbreak Could Soon Turn Into The Next Global Pandemic. Know More Deadly Mpox Variant On The Rise; Sweden, Pakistan Confirm 1st Cases Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.