Monsoon winds to strengthen, bring
widespread rain to Singapore
Published on Jan 16, 2013
9:14 PM
A monsoon surge is forecast to affect the region over the next few days, and is expected to bring widespread intermittent rain,
heavy at times, to Singapore between Friday and Monday. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
By Grace Chua
A monsoon surge is forecast to affect the region over the next few days, and is expected to bring
widespread intermittent rain, heavy at times, to Singapore between Friday and Monday.
A monsoon surge refers to the steady strengthening of the winds blowing from the South China Sea during
the wet phase of the Northeast Monsoon season in December and January. Monsoon surges usually bring
periods of prolonged widespread moderate to heavy rain lasting for two to five days, with occasionally
windy conditions and cooler temperatures.
If this weekend's heavy rain periods coincide with high tide, there could be flash floods in low-lying
coastal areas, the National Environment Agency has warned. High tides and times over the next few days
range from 2.1m to 2.8m, in the wee hours of the morning before dawn, and in the afternoon and evening.
Weather information is available via www.nea.gov.sg, the weather forecast hotline at 6542 7788, and radio
broadcasts, as well as the NEA's Twitter account @NEAsg.
In the event of flash floods, the public can log on to PUB's Facebook (www.facebook.com/PUBSg) or
PUB's Twitter account @PUBSingapore, or tune in to radio broadcasts.
Jakarta in knee-deep waters, braces for
major floods
Published on Jan 16, 2013
9:49 PM
People are transported across a flooded road on a wooden cart in Jakarta on Jan 16, 2013. Thousands of residents are being
evacuated after floods inundated several areas of Jakarta due to the overflow of the Ciliwung River and several days of
heavy rains in the capital city, local media reported on Wednesday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Heavy rain drenching parts of Indonesia’s capital city has driven at least 10,000 people from their homes
and was blamed for at least nine deaths in Jakarta and surrounding cities alone.
Floods paralyse Indonesian capital, heavy
rains continue
Published on Jan 17, 2013
1:15 PM

Indonesians wade through floods in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday, Jan 17, 2013. -- PHOTO: AP
JAKARTA (REUTERS) - Heavy monsoon rains triggered severe flooding in large swathes of the
Indonesian capital on Thursday, with many government offices and businesses forced to closed because
staff could not get to work.
Weather officials warned the rains could get worse over the next few days and media reports said that
thousands of people in Jakarta and its satellite cities had been forced to leave their homes because of the
torrential downpours this week.
"For the next two or three days, it is estimated that there may be increasing activity of the Asian Monsoon
which could increase weather activity in southern Sumatra and Java," said Soepriyo, an official at the
Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency.
An estimated more than 100mm of rain had fallen overnight in the capital. This year's rainy season has
brought some of the heaviest downpours for five years.
In the centre of Jakarta, whose streets overflow with vehicles at the best of times, traffic was brought to a
near standstill by waist high flood waters.
The city's main airport remained open but many roads leading there were reportedly blocked. Most
commuter train services and the bus system were closed.
The presidential palace, the finance and agricultural ministries and the central bank were all open,
spokesmen said.
However, the trade ministry said it was forced to close because of a power cut triggered by the flooding.
Floods paralyse Jakarta, triggering mass
evacuation, killing at least 4
Published on Jan 17, 2013
3:39 PM

Indonesian firefighters help people transport on a rubber boat through a flooded street in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Jan.
17, 2013. Floods regularly hit parts of Jakarta in the rainy season, but Thursday's inundation following an intense rain storm
appeared especially widespread. - PHOTO: AP
JAKARTA (AP) - Seasonal rains triggered massive flooding in Indonesia's capital on Thursday, killing at
least four people, triggering the evacuation of at least 20,000 and paralysing much of the city.
Floods regularly hit parts of Jakarta in the rainy season, but the inundation following an intense rain storm
was especially widespread. Few areas of the city of 14 million people were spared, with water levels up to
two metres-high in some places. The main street through the city's business district was under around 50
centimetres of water, while waters also rushed into the presidential palace.
Traffic ground to a halt as floodwater washed into homes, offices, schools and roads. Most businesses did
not open due to a lack of staff.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his foreign minister Marty Natalegawa were pictured standing
in water up to their shins at the palace waiting for the arrival of Argentina's President Christina Kirchner,
who is on a state visit. The meeting of the two leaders apparently went ahead.
Monsoon rains, deforestation in the hills to the south of the city, chaotic planning and hundreds of rivers
and waterways combine to cause floods, which expose the country's poor infrastructure even as it posts
impressive economic growth.