'People were clinging to trees, electricity poles'

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 02/08/2007 4:55 PM  |  Jakarta

In the days since the waters started rising in the city, stories of loss, sacrifice and survival have emerged. The Jakarta Post asked a resident to share hers.

Jui Jui S. Lekatompessy , 36, is a Thai-Malaysian expatriate who lives in Villa Kelapa Dua, Pos Pengumben, West Jakarta, with her husband and 7-year-old twins:

My experience was so unreal, it was like something out of a movie. We had elevated the foundation 1.2 meters to raise the house above others in the area, but still the water gushed in. I didn't have time to save my car.

When the last major flood hit the city in 2002, neighbors took shelter in our house because it was above the flood level. But this year, the water inside the house was 50 centimeters deep.

We called the Jakarta Special Province (DKI) unit, the search and rescue team and radio station Elshinta, but to no avail. My husband managed to get through to the Army's Special Forces to rescue us and they sent in the frog team (Tim Katak), which got us out in rubber dinghies.

When we were in the dinghy, I was startled to see people clinging to trees and electricity poles.

I told them to get in our boat.

The dinghy took us to Permata Executive Apartment. I was on the phone trying to locate my husband's company car when people started shouting at us to run. I was terribly confused, then, to my shock, I saw the 15th floor of the building was burning.

The owner had apparently been preoccupied with the flood and forgotten to extinguish a candle in the apartment.

Now we are staying at the Hotel Aston Century.

Many people are curious as to how I can still manage to laugh and smile. Well, I think my family and I are blessed because we still have a roof over our heads. Other people who are worse off also have smiles on their faces.

--The Jakarta Post

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