Hundreds of Thousands Flee as Flooding in Jakarta Kills 42

(Bloomberg) – At least 42 people have died from the New Year’s Day flooding in Indonesia’s greater Jakarta area, and hundreds of thousands were evacuated, according to the government’s disaster mitigation agency.

More than 400,000 people, mostly from Bekasi, east of Jakarta, fled their homes, the agency known as BNPB said. Some people in evacuation centers have returned to their houses as flood water subsides and power is turned back on, according to Kompas TV.

As many as 17 people drowned while 12 were killed by landslides, according to BNPB. The agency’s tally of 43 victims includes one missing person. In January 2013, flooding in Jakarta metropolitan area killed dozens of people and sent about 84,000 people to evacuation centers.

Power in 85% of the affected areas have been restored, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara said on Friday. Operations at Halim Perdanakusuma, the city’s second-biggest airport, returned to normal on Thursday.

Still, parts of Jakarta and surrounding areas remain flooded and without electricity after heavy monsoon rains since New Year’s eve. The weather agency expects the adverse weather to persist in the next two weeks.

President Joko Widodo ordered government agencies on Thursday to prioritize security and rescue measures. The disaster mitigation agency said it will implement weather modification on Friday to reduce the intensity of rain in the Jakarta area.

The government will deploy almost 300 personnel to assess how to prevent another severe flooding as the weather agency forecasts heavy rain on Jan. 11 to Jan. 15, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono told reporters on Friday.

The new capital that Indonesia will build on the island of Borneo will be flood proof, Hadimuljono said.