Hundreds evacuated as torrential rains flood Indonesia capital

JAKARTA: Hundreds evacuated from dozens of flooded neighbourhoods around Jakarta on Tuesday as torrential rains pounded the Indonesian capital and its surrounding satellite cities, causing several rivers to overflow.

There were no immediate reports of casualties after the latest deluge, but parts of the city, home to around 11 million people, ground to a halt as whole neighbourhoods were swamped in muddy water. Heavy rain began on Monday, causing some flooding in Jakarta and nearby the cities of Bogor, Bekasi and Tangerang.

Water was seen metres high in areas of east and south Jakarta on Tuesday after the rain caused the Ciliwung river to overflow, affecting 1,446 people from 224 houses in one village alone, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said. In Bogor, more than 300 people were evacuated, dozens of houses were damaged and one bridge collapsed.