Tuesday 22 January 2013

Death toll from Jakarta flooding rises to 26


Widespread flooding in the Indonesian capital over the last week has killed 26 people, police said Monday, with most of the deaths caused by electrocution and drowning.

People sit on an inflatable raft as they move through a flooded street to try to reach higher ground, in the business district in Jakarta on Jan 18, 2013.

Floods peaked on Thursday following days of heavy rains, bringing Jakarta to a near standstill.

Waters have receded in many parts of the megacity home to more than 10 million people, but some areas remained under water.

More than 40,000 people have sought refuge in temporary shelters, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

Jakarta - 40 per cent of which lies below sea level - is prone to flooding in the wet season, which is made worse by clogged rivers, sewers and storm drains and poor city planning.

Severe flooding in 2007 killed 57 people and forced more than 420,000 to leave their homes in the capital. Officials put the total damage at nearly 695 million dollars.

Monday 21 January 2013

http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/news/331895/death-toll-from-jakarta-flooding-rises-to-26

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