Wati Suka’s house in the Kamal Muara district of Jakarta is a barometer for an environmental crisis enveloping the Indonesian capital that an increasing number of its 10m residents are learning about first-hand.

Regular floods add to the Indonesian capital’s problems

“In the 1970s and ’80s we used to have to raise the house about 30cm every eight years or so because the land was sinking so much,” Mrs Wati says as she fries chicken to sell in her roadside food stall. “Now [raisings] are more frequent. We last did it in 2003 and I’d like to do it again this year if we can save enough money.”