Assistance Delayed for Jakarta Flood Victims
Hundreds of people hit by recent flooding in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, say government assistance has still not arrived four days after the city governor declared a state of emergency following severe flooding triggered by days of heavy rain.
“We have not received any assistance since our area was flooded two days ago,” said Rachmat Nasution, a resident of the Pluit Dalam area in West Jakarta. “Families have been trapped in their houses which are flooded as high as the neck,” he told IRIN.
Some areas in West Jakarta have been inundated since January 19 after a major dyke broke. Flooding in other areas of the capital, including the central business district, peaked earlier on January 17, bringing parts of the megacity of more than 10 million people to a near standstill.
Water in most areas except Pluit in West Jakarta has since receded.
Karyana, an official at Jakarta’s Regional Disaster Management Agency who goes by one name, admitted that aid workers had not reached all trapped residents.
“We continue to deliver aid supplies to flood victims and reach areas [that] were previously isolated,” said Karyana.
“But there are problems in some of the areas because some residents refused to be evacuated because they are afraid their possessions will be stolen…
“We have only received complaints from their relatives who don’t live there and give confusing addresses,” he said, explaining one reason behind hindered access.
As of 21 January the National Disaster Management Agency said flooding had killed 20 people, with causes of death including electrocutions, illnesses and drowning. More than 40,000 people have been displaced.
Read more of the story here at the IRIN news service:
Assistance to Jakarta flood victims delayed
Category: Asia
