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ireworks exploded over the skies and horns blared through the air in numerous cities across Indonesia at midnight on Sunday as revelers welcomed the year 2012 with great fanfare.

In Jakarta alone, around 17 fireworks displays were held across the city on Saturday night, including big shows at Karnaval Beach in Ancol Dreamland, North Jakarta, and in the National Monument Park, Central Jakarta.

Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Baharuddin Djafar told reporters on Sunday that the police had received no reports of serious or fatal accidents during the celebrations.

“Forty-two fainted, two were hit with firecracker sparks and one suffered a minor electric shock at Karnaval Beach in Ancol, but they are all now fine,” he said.

North Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Andap Budhi Revianto separately told reporters that the people who fell unconscious were immediately treated on the spot by medics from the Indonesian Red Cross and the North Jakarta Health Agency.

“Four people were sent to a nearby hospital and the rest were sent home,” he said. According to the officer, the two who hit with firecracker sparks only suffered minor burns. The sparks were from their own firecrackers and not from those at Karnaval Beach, he said.

According to him, traffic congestion on the capital’s main thoroughfares were not as bad as imagined. “All the traffic jams were still manageable. We also didn’t find any overcrowding and rooftop-riding on public buses and minivans.”

In downtown Medan, a heavy downpour did not stop thousands of citizens from enjoying themselves at a colorful community fair at the Sri Deli Park, where ethnic dances and fireworks shows were abound. North Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Wisjnu Amat Sastro said that he was glad the evening’s festivities proceeded peacefully.

In Surakarta, Central Java, the city imposed a “car free night” policy along the 5.8-kilometer Jl. Slamet Riyadi, one of the city’s main thoroughfares. A number of cultural shows, including the traditional reog dance, the Solo Batik Carnival, and contemporary dances were held on the street.

Surakarta Mayor Joko Widodo was among the revelers who walked down Jl. Slamet Riyadi during the celebrations. “I am glad I can celebrate the New Year free of vehicles’ fumes,” he said.

Foreign tourists, like 28-year-old Paul Van Graas from the Netherlands, also flocked to the road to join in the celebrations. “This is different from the celebrations in my homeland. People share their happiness with others and celebrate the New Year together on the streets,” he said.

In Makassar, popular tourist spots, especially the Losari Beach and the Akkarena Beach, were packed with tens of thousands of visitors of all ages. Some brought their entire families, including infant children.

Several roads leading to Losari Beach had been closed down to vehicles since Saturday afternoon to make way for pedestrians to access the area. “This year’s celebration is way merrier than last year’s. Almost all the city’s main roads are jammed,” Tenri Tatta said. (mim)

Apriadi Gunawan, Kusumasari Ayuningtyas, Andi Hajramurni, and Panca Nugraha contributed to this story from Medan, Surakarta, Makassar and Mataram.