Via ReliefWeb, an AFP report: Floods ease in Jakarta, at least 11 dead | ReliefWeb.
Floods in Indonesia's capital Jakarta which have killed at least 11 people and left two missing eased Friday, authorities said, warning however of more torrential rains which could hamper relief efforts.
The capital's worst floods in five years have forced 18,000 people from their homes, the nation's disaster agency said, with many ferried to temporary shelters on rafts.
"Since January 15, 11 people have died, five of which from electrocution," said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
Among the dead were two children aged two and 13, said Nugroho, adding that eight percent of the capital was still inundated on Friday morning and a city-wide state of emergency would apply until January 27.
By afternoon though, floodwaters had receded in central Jakarta and traffic was back to normal.
Jakarta police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, said that two men had been trapped since Thursday morning in a flooded parking lot in the capital's business district.
"Rescuers are still struggling to search for them," he said, adding that 2,781 police had been deployed to help assist victims from the floods.
At least four scuba divers were also helping to locate the missing, according to an AFP correspondent.
Authorities raised the flood alert to its highest level Thursday, warning that the torrential rains would not subside until the end of the week.
"Based on weather forecast, heavy rains will continue pouring down until Saturday," the agency's spokesman Nugroho said.
