NISRINA ISNAWATI (30802300024)
Semarang,
Central Java - Floods have once again hit the Genuk area of Semarang City,
inundating residential areas and business centers. The government's plan to
tackle flooding by raising and repairing roads in certain areas has sparked
protests. Residents believe that this policy has worsened flooding and hit the
incomes of small traders.
One of the
businesses directly affected is Warteg Suka Asih. The owner of the warteg
revealed that the flooding that occurred in October 2025 was the worst since he
took over the business in November 2021, as the water did not recede for two
weeks.
“During the
recent major flooding, we were forced to close for two weeks. Our income
dropped drastically, even by half,” he complained on Tuesday, 11 November 2025.
She also
added that the road elevation project on the main road actually trapped water
in lower-lying areas, including her business location. This situation hindered
residents' activities.
“Even water
as deep as 30 centimeters made the warteg unable to operate. The road was
impassable, many employees had to take leave, and customers couldn’t come
either,” she added.
In addition
to the road elevation issue, residents also questioned the effectiveness of the
water pumps that were previously relied upon to mitigate flooding. According to
them, in previous years, the water pumping system operated at full capacity,
but recently only a few pumps have been in operation.
“In the
past, the water pumps were quite effective in reducing flooding. We hope that
policy can be consistently implemented again,” he said.
A number of
residents have also heard about plans to raise the Pantura road by one meter.
They want the government to prioritize flood management in the Genuk area
first, before raising the road, so that water does not stagnate and enter
lower-lying settlements.
Until this
news was published, there has been no official response from the local
government regarding the complaints from Genuk residents.
For Genuk
residents, every time flooding occurs, it is not only the roads and yards that
are submerged, but also their hopes for a more decent life. They long for the
coming years to no longer be marked by the same floods, but by concrete steps
taken by the government to restore the lives of residents who continue to
endure the threat of flooding that comes with every heavy rain.
Documentation with the owner of the warteg suka
asih:
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