Strong wind uprooted a tree on Jl. Panjang in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, on Thursday afternoon, causing long traffic delays and cutting power to around 200 homes and businesses.
The tree brought down power lines as it fell, forcing the state-owned electricity company, PT PLN, to cut electricity to the surrounding area.
No fatalities were reported in the incident, but Leni, a resident whose restaurant is located nearby, said a motorcyclist fell trying to avoid the tree as it fell.
"The tree went down slowly. A passing car sped up to avoid it but the motorcyclist fell before the tree," she said, adding the motorcyclist was not badly injured.
She said the incident caused panic as sparks flew from the power pole.
Sukadi, a PLN officer who came to the site, said his team needed a minimum of two hours to straighten the power pole, which was leaning preariously.
"The electricity to some 200 buildings in this area will be disrupted during the repair," he said.
A number of workers from the West Jakarta Parks and Cemeteries Agency were also at the site to remove the tree. Their work was disrupted when a passing car hooked onto a dangling cable, pulling down the electricity pole.
Dwi Bintarto, head of the park division at the city's parks and cemeteries agency, said that as of November this year, a total of 353 trees had been uprooted and around 400 had branches fall off during the months of seasonal transition.
He said most trees on Jl. Panjang were New Guinea rosewoods, which were easily uprooted.
"Our officers will examine the condition of other trees on the street tomorrow and prune them if needed," Dwi said.
He said between January and November the agency had pruned around 13,000 of 50,000 trees that needed attention.
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