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43 die in Jakarta flooding

A woman cleans a house at a residential area affected by floods in Bekasi, West Java province, Indonesia on Friday. Photo by Mast Irham/EPA-EFE
A woman cleans a house at a residential area affected by floods in Bekasi, West Java province, Indonesia on Friday. Photo by Mast Irham/EPA-EFE

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- At least 43 died in the Greater Jakarta region of Indonesia this week after heavy rain caused severe flooding in the area, forcing thousands to flee their homes.

The storm that poured heavy rain onto the area from Tuesday evening through Wednesday continued to affect residents Friday as the death toll topped the 2013 Jakarta floods in which 20 people died.

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Indonesian authorities said that more than 409,000 people around Greater Jakarta evacuated their homes because of the flooding, forcing many of them to find emergency shelter.

The Health Ministry and the National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported Friday that 16 died in the Bogor regency of West Java and another eight died in the Lebak regency in Banten.

The Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management said it predicts the heavy rains will continue in the area until Jan. 10.

Authorities said 17 died in floodwaters, while 12 were killed in landslides. Others died after touched downed live electrical lines and from hypothermia. Officials turned off the electricity in many districts in Jakarta as a precaution against shock.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Twitter blamed the flooding on delays in flood control infrastructure projects.

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