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21 Dead, Thousands Caught in Flooding in Indonesia's Capital

Associated Press

   JAKARTA, INDONESIA - Severe flooding in Indonesia's capital as
   residents celebrated the new year has killed at least 21 people,
   displaced tens of thousands and forced an airport to close, the
   country's disaster management agency said Thursday.

   Monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged at least 169 neighborhoods
   and caused landslides in the Bogor and Depok districts on Jakarta's
   outskirts, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo
   said.

   Video and photos released by the agency showed cars floating in muddy
   waters while soldiers and rescuers in rubber boats helped children and
   elders forced onto the roofs of flooded homes.

   The floods inundated thousands of homes and buildings in poor and
   wealthy districts alike, have forced authorities to cut off electricity
   and water and paralyzed transport networks, Wibowo said.

   More than 31,000 people were in temporary shelters after floodwaters
   reached up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in places, Wibowo said.

   As much as 37 centimeters (14.5 inches) of rainfall was recorded in
   Jakarta and West Java's hilly areas on New Year's Eve, causing the
   Ciliwung and Cisadane rivers to overflow, Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan
   told reporters after conducting an aerial survey over the flooded city.

   He said 120,000 rescuers were helping people evacuate and installing
   mobile water pumps as more downpours were forecast. He vowed his city
   administration would complete flood-mitigation projects on the two
   rivers.

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