30 dead in Jakarta, Indonesia and many more missing in flooding
A rescuer evacuates a baby from a flooded neighborhood in Tanggerang outside Jakarta, Jan 2, 2020. (Photo: AP/Tatan Syuflana)
Indonesia's disaster agency warned on Thursday (Jan 2) of more deaths after torrential rains pounded the Jakarta region, triggering floods and landslides that killed at least 29 and left vast swaths of the megalopolis underwater.
As of Thursday morning, over 62,000 people were evacuated in Jakarta alone, disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo said, although later in the day he told news channel Metro TV the number of evacuees were down to around 35,000 people.
Images from across the region showed waterlogged homes and cars covered in muddy floodwaters, while some people took to paddling in small rubber lifeboats or tyre inner-tubes to get around.
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In Bekasi, on the outskirts of the city, receding waters gave way to scenes of swampy streets littered with debris and crushed cars lying on top of each other, with waterline marks reaching as high as buildings' second floors.
"I saw the water coming and it just kept getting higher and higher," said Deddy Supriadi, after a local river overflowed on the first day of 2020.
"It swept away 40 or 50 cars that were parked right here," he told AFP.
BABY RESCUES
Rescuers used inflatable boats to evacuate residents still trapped in their homes, including children and seniors.
TV images showed the dramatic rescue of a baby saved by disaster personnel who waded through chin-deep water to the family's home and carried the infant away to safety in a small plastic tub.
"We've been rescuing newborns, mothers who just gave birth and babies trapped in houses without food," said Yusuf Latif, spokesman for the National Search and Rescue agency.
"In some places, the rescue operation was quite challenging and difficult. The water was deep with a strong current. Some alleyways were so narrow that it was hard for our inflatable boats to pass through," he added.
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"We've been rescuing newborns, mothers who just gave birth and babies trapped in houses without food," said Yusuf Latif, spokesman for the National Search and Rescue agency.
"In some places, the rescue operation was quite challenging and difficult. The water was deep with a strong current. Some alleyways were so narrow that it was hard for our inflatable boats to pass through," he added.
A young boy sits on a chair in a flooded neighborhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan 2, 2020. (Photo: AP/Dita Alangkara)
Across the city, kids took the opportunity to swim in the floodwaters while some people grabbed fishing rods.
"I saw people were fishing here so I followed them," said 28-year-old Agung Rosiadi.
"There were lots of fish before but I don't know why they're all gone now," he added.
"WITHOUT WARNING"
At least 26 people died in greater Jakarta, while three more were killed by flash floods in neighbouring Lebak regency in the south of Java island, according to the local disaster agency.
Police in Lebak said on Thursday they were searching for as many as eight people who could still be missing.
"We hope the toll won't keep going up," Social Affairs Minister Juliari Peter Batubara told reporters earlier on Thursday.
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