Rising water levels threaten Indonesia's Jakarta • FRANCE 24 English

Summary

Jakarta, home to 10 million people, faces an existential threat as it sinks an average of 10 cm per year due to its location below sea level. A 32 km seawall has been built, but it remains fragile and poorly maintained, posing risks of flooding. Despite efforts by engineers like Victor and Tiara Salaba to protect the city, many residents remain resigned to their fate. The Indonesian government has decided to relocate the capital to Borneo, yet concerns remain about the future of Jakarta and its millions of residents who could be displaced by 2050.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ Jakarta, with its 10 million inhabitants, is facing serious risk as much of the city is below sea level.
• 🌊 The city is sinking, with some parts already 3-4 meters below sea level.
• 🏚️ Many homes in Jakarta are integrated into seawalls, a temporary defense against rising water levels.
• 🔧 Dutch engineers have built a 32 km seawall around Jakarta, but the city continues to sink at an average rate of 10 cm per year.
• ⚠️ The seawall is fragile and poorly maintained, which poses a constant threat of collapse and potential flooding.
• 🌀 If the seawall breaks, the consequences could be catastrophic, akin to a tsunami flooding the city.
• 👷 Local residents, despite understanding the risks, have become accustomed to the situation and feel they have no alternative.
• 🏗️ Tiara Salaba, a local civil engineer, aims to build stronger infrastructure to protect the city from sinking.
• 🚨 Without urgent action, Jakarta could experience more frequent floods and nearly 2 million people may be displaced by 2050.
• 🏝️ The Indonesian government has decided to relocate the capital to Borneo, more than a thousand kilometers away, as a long-term solution.

Q & A

What is the current situation of Jakarta in terms of its elevation relative to sea level?

Jakarta is sinking and is now 2 to 4 meters below sea level.

What is the average rate at which Jakarta is sinking?

Jakarta is sinking at an average rate of about 10 centimeters every year.

Who is Victor and what is his role in Jakarta?

Victor is a Dutch engineer who has overseen the construction of a huge network of dikes around Jakarta.

What is the length of the seawall built by Victor?

The seawall built by Victor is 30 to 2 kilometers long.

What are the concerns regarding the seawall's stability?

The seawall is fragile, poorly maintained, and built on unstable ground, which could lead to its collapse at any moment.

How do local residents feel about the potential collapse of the seawall?

Local residents seem resigned to their fate and are not afraid, as they are used to the situation and have no choice but to stay.

What is Tiara Salaba's profession and why did she choose it?

Tiara Salaba is a civil engineer who chose her profession to try to spare her neighborhood from rising water levels.

What is the goal of Tiara Salaba as a civil engineer?

Her goal is to build higher and more resistant dikes to combat the rising water levels.

Why did the Indonesian government decide to move the capital?

The Indonesian government decided to move the capital because saving Jakarta is considered an impossible task due to the continuous sinking and flooding.

Where is the new location for the Indonesian capital?

The new location for the Indonesian capital is on the island of Borneo, more than a thousand kilometers away from Jakarta.

What could happen to Jakarta by 2050 if no action is taken?

If no action is taken, by 2050 nearly 2 million people in Jakarta could be displaced due to the rising water levels.