Katulampa water gate separated from flood prevention system: Minister

Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto said Monday that Katulampa water gate in Bogor, West Java, was not part of the flood prevention system in Jakarta, easing public worry after the decade-old water gate was reportedly cracking after Saturday's flood.

"The Katulampa water gate was initially built to support the irrigation system in nearby areas," he said.

"We then installed a device to watch its water level to predict in rainy season when flood-prone areas such as Jakarta would be affected.

On Friday night the city administration warned residents located near rivers of the possibility of floods after water levels at the Katulampa water gate reached 250 centimeters earlier in the day.

As predicted, from early Saturday, water from the Ciliwung River began to inundate areas including Rawa Jati and Pengadegan in South Jakarta, and Kampung Melayu and Jati Pinggir in East Jakarta.