FPIK, SEMARANG – The coastal area of Semarang City, Central Java Province and its surroundings is predicted to sink in about 50 years. Professor of the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Diponegoro University (FPIK UNDIP) Prof. Dr. Denny Nugroho Sugianto, ST., M.Si revealed that the prediction was strengthened by the rain that triggered the flood in Semarang City early last year.
“So it could be faster than 50 years. The flooding is now in the North Semarang area, in Tugu it has also started to get worse, the border with Demak as well,” said Prof. Denny who is also a senior researcher at the Center for Disaster Mitigation and Coastal Rehabilitation Studies (PKMBRP) UNDIP, when contacted by detikcom, Wednesday (4/8/2021). “The severity is seen when the rains at the beginning of the year flooded the Unissula campus, it proves that the drainage can no longer throw water into the sea by gravity because the soil is lower than sea water,” he continued.
Prof. Denny stated that the cause of the sinking of the northern part of Semarang City was due to land subsidence due to massive groundwater exploitation. In addition, land subsidence in Semarang varies with an average of 10-12 centimeters per year. “Soil subsidence varies, there are 2 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, up to an average of 10-12 cm per year. Excessive use of groundwater causes the soil to fall quickly. In addition, the nature of sedimentation on the Semarang coast is alluvial sedimentation. Have you heard of it before? Semarang until the Sam Po Kong area is water? Well, it’s like going back,” he explained.
He added that global warming also had an impact on rising sea levels. He also hopes that the government will be firm in spatial planning based on rob mitigation. “Spatial planning must be based on tidal mitigation. Water pocket areas are no longer allowed to be developed either commercially or residentially,” explained the lecturer at the Oceanography Department, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science UNDIP.
Not only that, Prof. Denny hopes that the Semarang-Demak Toll Road project which is designed as a dike can be realized according to the technical design. So it is hoped that it can be a solution for tidal flooding in Semarang and Demak. “Semarang-Demak toll road is for roads, for the use of the embankment must be very careful, hopefully it can solve the problem,” he said. Meanwhile, the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo said that there had been a study on the sinking of the three regions (Pekalongan – Semarang – Demak). According to him, the thing that must be done is together to protect the environment. Meanwhile, the government must be disciplined in granting land use permits according to its function.
“It will sink if everyone doesn’t take care of the environment, so spatial planning must be controlled, planting is carried out. So if we want to use the space, we must be really disciplined,” said the number one person in Central Java. (Adm | Source: detik.com)
News reference: detikcom
