Here are the floods in north Jakarta on 19 January 2009.

There is a theory in Jakarta that the floods only come every 5 years. In the past it seems to have followed that pattern, but certainly where we live with the land development that has gone on in recent years the floods have become an annual occurrence.

Only the other day I overheard a conversation that concluded that it was accepted that every 5 years one would have to change the downstairs furniture. In some parts of Jakart that may now be every year.