Indonesia floods kill 20 people

JAKARTA – Floods in the Indonesian capital have killed at least 20 people and made nearly 200 000 homeless, with the deluge of muddy brown water up to 4 metres deep in some areas, officials said yesterday.

Downpours over Jakarta weakened at the weekend, but heavy rain in upland areas sent more water into already swollen rivers criss-crossing the low-lying city. Floods are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, but the devastation of recent days has been the worst in five years, and meteorology officials have warned that the city could suffer another week of heavy rains.Officials are also concerned that the displacement of so many people and water contamination could bring disease in a city already struggling with a surge in cases of dengue fever.”Twenty have died since the first day of flooding.Seven were dragged under by strong currents, nine were electrocuted and the others because of sickness,” I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana, a Jakarta police spokesman, said.A key sluice gate on a canal that runs through central Jakarta was opened because of heavy run-off from upstream, an official said, increasing the flooding in the city.Rustam Pakaya, a health ministry official, said workers were distributing eight tonnes of baby food, milk and other food.In many parts of the city, sandbags were being prepared in a bid to shield buildings.Some flood victims sheltered in the lobby of the five-star Borobudur Hotel.”This is the first time flooding has hit my area.People have evacuated to the mosque,” said Taufik Hamdani, a 48-year-old resident in Matraman, central Jakarta.He said he planned to take his family to a safer location.Irvan, an official at the city crisis centre, said the flood alert status was at maximum, with water levels at about 2-3 metres but up to 4 metres near rivers and canals.”We are evacuating communities living in critical locations,” Irvan said.Nampa-ReutersFloods are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, but the devastation of recent days has been the worst in five years, and meteorology officials have warned that the city could suffer another week of heavy rains.Officials are also concerned that the displacement of so many people and water contamination could bring disease in a city already struggling with a surge in cases of dengue fever.”Twenty have died since the first day of flooding.Seven were dragged under by strong currents, nine were electrocuted and the others because of sickness,” I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana, a Jakarta police spokesman, said.A key sluice gate on a canal that runs through central Jakarta was opened because of heavy run-off from upstream, an official said, increasing the flooding in the city.Rustam Pakaya, a health ministry official, said workers were distributing eight tonnes of baby food, milk and other food.In many parts of the city, sandbags were being prepared in a bid to shield buildings.Some flood victims sheltered in the lobby of the five-star Borobudur Hotel.”This is the first time flooding has hit my area.People have evacuated to the mosque,” said Taufik Hamdani, a 48-year-old resident in Matraman, central Jakarta.He said he planned to take his family to a safer location.Irvan, an official at the city crisis centre, said the flood alert status was at maximum, with water levels at about 2-3 metres but up to 4 metres near rivers and canals.”We are evacuating communities living in critical locations,” Irvan said.Nampa-Reuters