Jakarta floods death toll rises to 53

Representational image (Photo: IStock)


Indonesian authorities have raised the death toll due to flooding in the Jakarta metropolitan area to 53, where thousands of people have had to be evacuated.

The recent 10 victims were located in Bogor and Lembak, cities situated on the outskirts of the capital, the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNBP) said, adding that one person was missing, reports Efe news.

More than 170,000 people continue to remain in temporary shelters in Jakarta’s metropolitan area where some 30 million people live and which still has many areas waterlogged.

In other areas, receding waters have left debris and piled-up vehicles on the roads, as seen in images shared on social media networks.

Most of the victims died as they were dragged away by floodwaters or buried in landslides due to heavy rain in the last few days that led to the overflow of waterways that cross the capital.

Floods and landslides affect Indonesia yearly during the rainy season, which peaks between December and February.