Bad weather claims one life, destroys houses

JAKARTA: Heavy rain mixed with strong winds, which hit the city early on Wednesday, uprooted a tree on Jl. Dharmawangsa, South Jakarta, which fell onto a passing bajaj (motorized pedicab), killing the driver.

“The bajaj driver, Warno, 55, died at the scene,” said traffic police officer Brig. Bayu Hadi who was on duty at the time of the incident.

The driver’s body was taken to Fatmawati Hospital for autopsy. Also injured in the incident was the bajaj’s passenger, Zulfahmi.

The fallen tree also hit four cars, but their drivers and passengers were unhurt in the incident.

At least 353 houses in Kelapa and Harapan islets of Thousand Islands, north of Jakarta, were torn down by the strong winds that hit the area for about 30 minutes.

North Thousand Islands Regent Atok Bahroni said 34 locals were injured, most of them suffering from gashes to their heads caused by falling roof tiles.

“They are still being treated at the North Thousand Islands Community Health Center. We are still collecting data on the number of houses that were heavily damaged during the storm,” Atok said as quoted by kompas.com.