Floods inundate parts of Indonesian capital Jakarta
Jakarta has been hit hard by hours of heavy torrential rain, flooding the capital's streets and submerging thousands of homes. It isn't immediately clear how many have been displaced by the flooding.
Massive flooding
Jakarta, a bustling metropolis of some 10 million inhabitants, was hit by widespread flooding on Tuesday after hours of torrential rain. Water up to 1.5 meters deep deluged parts of the Indonesian capital after a major thunderstorm overnight, and the country's disaster agency received more than 400 reports of flooding across the city.
Overwhelmed
The flooding occurred after Jakarta's drains were overwhelmed by the heavy rains and unable to cope with the torrents of water unleashed by the storm, said disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Purwo Nugroho.
Widespread impact
The disaster mitigation agency said Tuesday that more than 50 areas are flooded in Jakarta, with waters up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) high in East Jakarta. Local media reported that a worker for the city government died and one person drowned in Bekasi, a Jakarta satellite city.
A fact of life
Floods and deadly landslides are a fact of life for Indonesians during the wet season. Jakarta is hit by flooding to some degree every year during this period, with the city's numerous riverside communities being worst affected.
Worst experience
The picture shows children playing in the flood water near their house in Karet Pasar Baru, Tanah Abang district. Jakarta suffered one of its worst seasonal inundations in recent history in January 2013. The flooding submerged parts of the city, forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes and left over 20 dead.
Countermeasures
The image shows a street vendor wading through flood waters in the Mangga Dua business district in Jakarta. The city, which has about 30 million people in its greater metropolitan area, says it has reduced the number of flood-prone areas since then by dredging rubbish-filled rivers, and other measures.
Many casualties
Earlier this month, up to 40,000 people were caught in severe flooding following days of torrential rain in central Indonesia and 13 people were killed in landslides on the resort island of Bali.