JAKARTA: Indonesia’s disaster agency warned yesterday of more deaths after torrential rains pounded the Jakarta region, triggering floods and landslides that killed at least 23 and left vast swaths of the megalopolis underwater.
Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters in the area — home to some 30 million — with scores of houses damaged in the deadliest flooding in years, after torrential rains on New Year’s Eve.
Images from across the region showed waterlogged homes and cars covered in muddy floodwaters, while some people took to paddling in small rubber lifeboats or tyre inner-tubes to get around.
In Bekasi, on the outskirts of the city, receding waters gave way to scenes of swampy streets littered with debris and crushed cars lying on top of each other, with waterline marks reaching as high as buildings’ second floors.
Rescuers used inflatable boats to evacuate residents still trapped in their homes, including children and seniors. Across the city, kids took the opportunity to swim in the floodwaters while some people grabbed fishing rods.
“I saw people were fishing here so I followed them,” said 28-year-old Agung Rosiadi.
“There were lots of fish before but I don’t know why they’re all gone now,” he added.
At least 21 people died in greater Jakarta, while two more were killed by flash floods in neighbouring Lebak regency at the south end of Java Island.
In Lebak, the local disaster agency said it had confirmed two residents died and it was investigating reports that three more people perished.
Police in Lebak said they were searching for as many as eight people who could still be missing.
Around Jakarta, an eight-year old boy killed in a landslide and an 82-year-old pensioner were among the confirmed victims.
Those killed died from drowning, hypothermia and being covered by landslides, while one 16-year-old boy was electrocuted by a power line.
On Wednesday, electricity was switched off in many Jakarta districts to prevent more electrocutions, with some train lines and one of the city’s airports also shut.
The downpour triggered landslides on the city’s outskirts.
The disaster marked Jakarta’s worst flooding since 2013 when dozens were killed after the city was inundated by monsoon rains.
The city is regularly hit by floods during Indonesia’s rainy season, which started in late November.
Authorities said yesterday that some 31,000 people had been evacuated, but that figure did not include residents in Jakarta’s satellite cities.
Service at Halim Perdanakusuma airport, which handles commercial and military planes, was temporarily shut due to severe flooding on its runways, according to the transport ministry. It was reopened yesterday.
Some flights were transferred to Jakarta’s main Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. – AFP
