Sinking city: Indonesia's Jakarta on brink of disaster, President formally proposes shifting capital to Kalimantan on Borneo island

Time is running out for Jakarta. One of fastest-sinking cities on earth, environmental experts warn that one third of it could be submerged by 2050 if current rates continue.

Deces of uncontrolled and excessive depletion of groundwater reserves, rising sea-levels, and increasingly volatile wear patterns mean swas of it have alrey started to disappear.

have h little impact, so authorities are taking drastic action: nation will have a new capital. Its location could be anunced imminently, according to local reports.

" capital of our country will move to island of Borneo," Indonesian leer Joko Widodo said on Twitter.

Relocating country's ministrative and political heart may be an act of national preservation, but it effectively sounds death-knell for Jakarta where many of city's 10 million residents have little means of escape.

"When floods came I used to tremble," food stall owner Rasdi told AFP.

"I nearly drowned back in 2007, all my belongings were swept away and I h to start over again," said from his home close to Jakarta's rrn port, one of worst affected by sinking ground.

Built in an earthquake zone, on swamplands, near confluence of 13 rivers, city's foundations have been furr stressed by unchecked development, heavy traffic, and poor urban planning. Jakarta doesn't have a piped water system in its rrn reaches, so local industry and millions of residents tap into its aquifers.

This rampant groundwater extraction causes land subsidence, which is making Jakarta sink by as much as 25 centimetres (10 inches) a year in some areas -- double global aver for major coastal cities.

RE: Strong 6.8 Earthquake Strikes Off Indonesia's West Coast, Tsunami Warning Issued

Today some parts of it sit some four metres below sea level, irrevocably changing landscape, and leaving millions vulnerable to natural disasters.Flooding is common during tropical nation's wet season and that is expected get worse as sea levels rise due to global warming.

partly submerged skeleton of an abandoned mosque at waterfront underscores severity of problem, while vast puddles scar ros, and for some ground floor of ir homes is longer habitable.

Murky green water flows along floor of an abandoned building, while tiny shacks on stilts line garb-strewn waterfront.

"You can see it with your own eyes," said Andri, a 42-year-old who liked many Indonesians goes by one name. "When I was a kid I used to swim over re," he ded, motioning off in distance.

"Over time water just kept getting higher and higher." Even as Widodo presses on with plan for a 21st century capital in Borneo island, local authorities are desperately probing solutions for Jakarta.

A scheme to construct artificial islands in Jakarta's bay, which would act as a buffer against Java Sea, as well as a vast coastal wall was approved.

RE: Four De, Several Injured After Powerful Quake Rocks Indonesia

But re is guarantee estimated USD 40 billion project -- which has been beset by years of delays would solve city's sinking woes. Building barriers has been tried before. A concrete wall was built along shore in Rasdi's district and or high-risk neighbourhoods. But y have cracked and show signs of sinking alrey. Water seeps through m, soaking maze of narrow streets and shacks in city's poorest neighbourhoods.

"Building walls is t a permanent solution," said Heri Andreas, an earth scientist at Bandung Institute of Techlogy.

"We need to go to next step and fix our water manment." hub of Souast Asia's biggest ecomy has seen breakneck development over years. New buildings and skyscrapers are compressing ground, which aggravates its sinking problem.

But biggest culprit is excessive groundwater extraction, and city has way to meet demand without it due to a lack of water-retention facilities or a comprehensive piping network, Andreas said. Jakarta is t only sinking urban centre.