A massive tree collapse in front of the Caraka Loka building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) in Gunung, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, has severely disrupted the operations of both the MRT and Transjakarta public transport services.
In response to the incident, PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda) immediately commenced recovery operations to ensure that services could return to normal as quickly as possible. Rendy Primartantyo, Head of the Corporate Secretary Division at PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda), urged commuters to “remain calm and follow the directions of officers on site,” as reported from Jakarta on Thursday (20/11).
The colossal tree, a mahogany with an impressive diameter of approximately 350 centimeters, toppled on Jalan Sisingamangaraja around 10:27 AM WIB. Elvita Rahmadani, the Head of Gunung Village, revealed that local residents indicated the tree was over a century old. She noted, “Visually, the tree appeared healthy; however, it turned out that its roots underneath were already brittle, eaten away by termites.”
Beyond the significant impact on public transportation, the incident also resulted in a shattered window of one vehicle, and several surrounding roads were consequently closed to traffic. Currently, the arduous evacuation process is underway, involving a dedicated team of 30 joint officers from the Parks Department, PPSU (Public Infrastructure and Facilities Handling), and the Fire Department. Authorities have confirmed that, fortunately, there were no fatalities in this unforeseen event. Elvita Rahmadani emphasized the collaborative effort, stating, “Everyone from the Parks Department, PPSU, and the Fire Department is working together to expedite the process; we will complete it as quickly as possible.”
Confirming the absence of casualties, the Traffic Directorate of Polda Metro Jaya had previously stated that no lives were lost due to the fallen tree on Jalan Sisingamangaraja. Kompol Robby Hefadus, Head of Operations for the Ditlantas Polda Metro Jaya, reiterated during a confirmation in Jakarta on Thursday that “As of now, there are no fatalities, only material damage. The tree struck the fence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the roof structure of the MRT.”
Summary
A massive, over century-old mahogany tree collapsed on Jalan Sisingamangaraja in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in South Jakarta on Thursday (20/11) around 10:27 AM WIB. This incident, caused by brittle, termite-eaten roots despite the tree appearing healthy, severely disrupted MRT and Transjakarta public transport services. It also led to the closure of several roads and caused material damage, including a shattered vehicle window and impact to the MRT’s roof structure.
PT MRT Jakarta immediately began recovery operations, while a 30-officer joint team is expediting the arduous evacuation process. Authorities, including Polda Metro Jaya, have confirmed that fortunately, no fatalities occurred in this unforeseen event, with only material damage reported. Commuters were advised to remain calm and follow directions from officers on site.
