Floods in Indonesian capital recede as death toll rises

A family walks carrying their son through a flooded neighbourhood in a bucket in Tanggerang on the outskirts of Jakarta. Pic/AP

Jakarta: Residents of Indonesia's capital who had been forced into shelters by widespread flooding began returning to their homes Thursday as the waters started to recede, though the death toll from the disaster rose to 30.

The rain and rising rivers submerged at least 182 neighbourhoods in greater Jakarta starting Wednesday and caused landslides in the Bogor and Depok districts.

Jakarta Governor Anies Bawesdan said much of the water had receded by Thursday evening and the number of displaced people at temporary shelters had fallen to about 5,000 from 19,000. Officials had earlier said 35,000 people were in shelters across the greater metropolitan area. Streets were covered in mud and debris. Cars were swept away, landing upside down.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said floodwaters reached as high as 2.5 metres in places. Wibowo said the number of people killed in the disaster had climbed to 30. It was the worst flooding since 2013, when 47 people were killed in the rain.

30
No. of people killed

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