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Flooding hits Indonesian capital Jakarta Flooding hits Indonesian capital Jakarta
(about 1 hour later)
Flooding has hit parts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, closing offices and blocking roads, after days of heavy rain. Flooding caused by days of heavy rain has hit parts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, forcing businesses to close and blocking roads.
Areas including the central business district (CBD) were inundated. Businesses were closed and traffic grid-locked. Areas including the central business district (CBD) were inundated and traffic was grid-locked as residents struggled to move around the city.
Weather officials warn that the rain, which is seasonal, could get worse in the next few days.Weather officials warn that the rain, which is seasonal, could get worse in the next few days.
The governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo, has declared a state of emergency.The governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo, has declared a state of emergency.
Jakarta, the capital of South East Asia's largest economy, was brought to its knees today because of rising floodwaters.
Cars and motorcycles broke down midway through their journey, as the waters inundated parts of the capital city. Many Jakartans have been left stranded because of the lack of public transport, wading through roads that have turned into rivers to get to their destination.
As a result many government offices and businesses have been forced to close. Some schools have told their students to stay at home.
Jakartans are used to dealing with floods - this happens every year because of the torrential rains. But this time, even the usually immune central business district has been affected. In low-lying areas, residents have said waters have reached 2-3 metres high.
People here regularly complain that the government hasn't done enough to upgrade its infrastructure and protect its citizens from what could have been an avoidable disaster.
Officials said on Wednesday that more than 9,000 people were in shelters after being forced to leave their homes.Officials said on Wednesday that more than 9,000 people were in shelters after being forced to leave their homes.
"Days of heavy downpours caused the rivers to overflow and triggered floods up to 3m (10 feet)," National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP news agency on Wednesday."Days of heavy downpours caused the rivers to overflow and triggered floods up to 3m (10 feet)," National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP news agency on Wednesday.
On Thursday many government offices and businesses in Jakarta were forced to close because staff could not get to work.On Thursday many government offices and businesses in Jakarta were forced to close because staff could not get to work.
The presidential palace could flood, the Jakarta Post reported, if a drainage canal does not cope with the increased volume of water. Local television pictures showed people wading through almost neck-high water in some parts of the city.
Local television pictures showed people wading through almost neck-high water in some parts of the city and floodwater spreading to the CBD - which usually remains untouched when the city floods, reports the BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta. The presidential palace grounds are flooded - images showed President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono walking around the palace compound with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa with his trousers rolled up above his knees.
This time officials have allowed the waters to pass through the CBD, which in theory should take the pressure off other low-lying areas, our correspondent says. Mr Yudhoyono had instructed the national police chief and the army chief to deploy their forces and evacuate flood victims, presidential spokesman Julian Pasha told BBC Indonesian.
State funds are available to help those affected by the flooding following the declaration of the state of emergency, which will remain in effect until January 27. State funds are available to help those affected by the flooding following the declaration of the state of emergency, which will remain in effect until 27 January.
A Transport Ministry spokesman said air travel was not disrupted.
The last severe flooding in Jakarta was in 2007, when at least 40 people were killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes.The last severe flooding in Jakarta was in 2007, when at least 40 people were killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is due in Jakarta on Friday to meet top leaders and deliver a foreign policy speech.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is due in Jakarta on Friday to meet top leaders and deliver a foreign policy speech.