Flood victims yet to return homes

Fri, 03/14/2008 11:35 AM  |  City

Some residential areas in the vicinity of the city's largest river, Ciliwung, were under two feet of water Thursday, the Jakarta administration's disaster mitigation center reported.

"We have prepared dinghies in several flood-prone areas" said Basuki, an official from the center, as quoted by Detik.com.

A heavy downpour Wednesday signaled possible flooding to residents as well as the city administration.

As of Thursday afternoon, hundreds of residents in Cawang, Cililitan and Kampung Pulo in East Jakarta, as well as South Jakarta's Bukit Duri had left their flooded homes.

Torrential rains Wednesday also caused mudslides in the vicinity of Puncak resort, Bogor, destroying dozens of houses in Tugu Utara and Tugu Selatan villages.

The mudslides buried a road in the area and a bridge connecting the two villages.

No fatalities were reported, however, according to Tempointeraktif.com.

Residents said the overflowing Telaga Warna Lake had worsened a landslide that started at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Bogor regency's disaster mitigation center and residents on Thursday were clearing the road of the mud and debris.

Center coordinator Budi Aksomo said another team was assigned to help residents who had lost their homes to landslides.

"We have prepared emergency shelters for the residents," he said.

The center recorded 15 houses destroyed, with 25 others partially damaged in the disaster.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.