Seven Dead Due to Floods in Jakarta

Jakarta (Antara) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated on Sunday that seven people have died due to the floods in Jakarta. BNPB's Head of Data and Information Center Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement made available to Antara on Sunday that the seven dead victims were Hasan (76), Hidayat(35), Zulfikar (22), Asep (27), Fatimah (5) and Supoyo (44) and one victim who is not yet identified. The causes of their death vary from illnesses, falls or drowning to electrocution. Meanwhile, 10,530 residents from 48 villages and 27 sub-districts in Jakarta were displaced and were evacuated to 97 emergency makeshifts. BNPB alone has built 23 main emergency tents to help the victims and support the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Jakarta. "We have distributed 50 inflatable boats for BPBD Jakarta to evacuate residents from inundated areas," Sutopo said. The current status of the main floodgates in Jakarta on Sunday was relatively high with the alert status. "The water level in the Manggarai Sluice is 960 centimeter which is in the alert status, and the Karet Floodgate is 700 centimeters, also in the alert status. While other rivers are in normal status," Sutopo explained. According to the agency, until Monday, January 21, heavy rain will still continue showering Jakarta and its neighboring cities, including Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, particularly in the night. "The rainfall intensity is predicted to get slow next Tuesday and Wednesday (January 22-23)," Sutopo said. (*)