After heavy rainfall claimed the lives of at least 23 individuals in Jakarta, Indonesia, experts have stated that the situation is far from ordinary. The capital city was hit by severe flooding as residents were ushering in the New Year, forcing thousands to evacuate.
Torrential rains drenched the residents of Jakarta as they awaited the New Year’s Eve fireworks on Wednesday. Additionally, the domestic airport in Jakarta was closed, leaving nearly 20,000 passengers stranded.
According to National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Agus Wibowo, monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged around 90 neighborhoods and caused a landslide in Kota Depok. The fatalities included a 16-year-old student who was electrocuted, and over 19,000 people sought refuge in temporary shelters due to the floodwaters reaching up to three meters in some areas.
The grim situation elicited a grieving response from Al-Latif Ilyas Darmawan, who lost his son in the tragedy. He recounted the futile attempts to rescue his son and expressed his sorrow over the unsuccessful rescue mission.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, reported that at least 16 people were killed, with the death toll rising to 21 according to the country’s social affairs ministry. Above all, experts emphasized that the rainfall was not typical, with the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency pointing out that the New Year’s Eve rain was highly unusual.
TV footage revealed submerged cars, while soldiers and rescuers in rubber boats struggled to evacuate individuals, including children and the elderly, who were stranded on their rooftops.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan remarked that the rainfall measured 370 millimeters, more than three times the average amount, and authorities cautioned that flooding could persist until the end of the rainy season in April.