Several dead, thousands caught in flooding in Indonesia’s Jakarta

At least 16 people were confirmed dead on Thursday and thousands were forced to evacuate, after severe flooding hit Indonesia’s capital as residents were celebrating the New Year.

Tens of thousands of revellers in Jakarta were soaked by torrential rains as they waited for New Year’s Eve fireworks on Wednesday.

Jakarta’s domestic airport was also shut, where almost 20,000 passengers were stranded.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said on Wednesday that monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged at least 90 neighbourhoods and triggered a landslide in Kota Depok, a city on the outskirts of Jakarta.

Rain causes flooding in Jakarta
A man walks past submerged cars on a flooded street in Jakarta, Indonesia, 01 January 2020. Overnight heavy rains triggered widespread flooding in Jakarta and surrounding areas, bringing traffic to a standstill. EPA-EFE/ADI WEDA

Wibowo said the dead included a 16-year-old high school student who was electrocuted while more than 19,000 people were in temporary shelters after floodwaters reached up to three metres in several places.

Read more via Al Jazeera

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