Heavy monsoonal rains triggered severe flooding in large swathes of the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Thursday, with many government offices and businesses were forced to close because staff could not get to work.
Weather officials warned the rains could get worse over the next few days and media reports said that thousands of people in Jakarta and its satellite cities had been forced to leave their homes because of the torrential downpours this week.
"For the next two or three days it is estimated that there may be increasing activity of the Asian Monsoon which could increase weather activity in southern Sumatra and Java," said Soepriyo, an official at the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency.
An estimated more than 12 inches of rain had fallen overnight in the capital. This year's rainy season has brought some of the heaviest downpours for five years.
In the center of Jakarta, whose streets overflow with vehicles at the best of times, traffic was brought to a near standstill by waist high floodwaters.
Beritasatu.com reported that floodwaters of up to one meter deep inundated key roads, including Rasuna Said, Daan Mogot, Puri Kembangan, Tubagus Anhke, Kyai Tapa, Dukuh Atas, MH Thamrin, Jatinegara, Joglo, Merupa, Duri Kepa and Latumenten.
Along Rasuna Said in Kuningan, floodwaters around the Four Seasons hotel area caused massive traffic gridlock, Elshinta radio reported. The flooding is reportedly due to the overflowing West Flood canal. Traffic along Jalan MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta is also paralyzed as floodwaters reach around one meter.
Offices in Jakarta have been advising workers to not go to work and stay home.
Cars headed to Tugu Tani, Central Jakarta, have also reportedly been stuck in traffic for more than two hours. The city's main airport remained open but many roads leading there were reportedly blocked.
According to the official Twitter account of the Transjakarta busway, all bus corridors have stopped operating since 9:16 a.m. due to floods and inaccessible roads.
At the same time, trains from Bogor and Bekasi are only able to travel to Manggarai station and are unable to continue to Kota station and Sudirman station. Elshinta radio reported that floodwaters inundated both stations.
Due to the situation, TMC announced that three-in-one regulation is not in effect today. The Jakarta Stock Exchange did open but trading was light.
The presidential palace, the finance and agricultural ministries and the central bank were all open, spokesmen said. However, the trade ministry said it was forced to close because of a power cut triggered by the flooding. (Reuters/JG)