-Caveat Lector-
Begin forwarded message:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: February 5, 2007 9:23:25 PM PST
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Indonesia's Capital Mostly Under Water, Millions Homeless
Disease fears amid Jakarta floods
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6330523.stm
Make-shift rafts are being used to navigate through flood waters
Indonesian officials fear an outbreak of disease could take hold
amid severe flooding in the capital Jakarta, which has already left
29 people dead.
"We fear that diarrhoea and dysentery may break out, as well as
illnesses spread by rats," one official said.
More than a third of a million people are thought to have fled
their homes amid Jakarta's worst floods in years, caused by days of
torrential rains.
While floods were said to have receded in some places, more rain is
forecast.
The floods have affected much of the city of at least 9 million
people -- with estimates of the flooded area ranging between nearly
40% and 75%.
Apart from those swept away or drowned, a number of people were
killed by electrocution, police spokesman Ketut Yoga Ana said.
Officials said the unsanitary conditions could cause an outbreak of
disease, with fresh water and electricity services down in many areas.
"We know it's hard for the residents [to use and drink clean water]
under the circumstances, but they have to," said Health Minister
Siti Fadilah Supari.
A Jakarta health official was quoted by Reuters saying more than
50,000 people had already sought treatment for conditions ranging
from coughs to diarrhoea.
The city was already coping with a surge in cases of dengue fever
before the floods.
An official also said the flooding would complicate efforts to
tackle bird flu, which has killed 63 people in Indonesia in the
past few years, making it the country worst hit by the disease.
Holding out
Several days of torrential rain have caused rivers to burst their
banks, sending muddy water up to 3m (10ft) deep into homes and
businesses.
Hundreds of residents are still holding out on the second floor of
their homes, either trapped or unwilling to move, the BBC's Rebecca
Henschke in Jakarta says.
Many people are sheltering in schools and mosques.
Medical teams on rubber rafts are working in the worst affected
areas, while thousands of soldiers and extra police have been
deployed to help with evacuation efforts.
In some parts horse-drawn carts were deployed to rescue people from
their homes.
The government is facing renewed criticism that it could have done
more to prevent this disaster.
"Obviously the city did not learn anything after the last [heavy
floods], in 2002," the Jakarta Post said, accusing administrators
of delaying the building of a canal to control flooding.
"The government is awful," said resident Augustina Rusli, who had
held out on the upper floor of her house with her 10-month old baby.
"We have a neighbour who is sick with cancer but no one has come to
rescue her,"
Jakarta's Governor Sutiyoso brushed off criticism, saying the
floods were a "natural phenomenon".
"There is no point in throwing abuse around," he said. "I was up
till 0300 this morning trying to handle the refugees."
The floods are said to be the worst to hit Jakarta for five years.
Although the sun was shining on Monday, officials say there is
little prospect of an early improvement in the situation.
Meteorologists warn downpours are likely to continue for at least
another week, and with heavy rains falling on hilly regions to the
south, more flooding is threatened.
"We expect residents to stay alert because water may rise again and
very fast," said Sihar Simanjuntak, an official monitoring river
levels.
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