Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Jakarta`s Governor Joko Widodo here on Thursday announced the capital city is in the state of emergency following flood that hit most of its areas since Wednesday (Jan 16).

"According to information from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the intensity of rain will still be high in Jakarta until next week. Therefore I am announcing that Jakarta is in the state of emergency until January 27," said the governor after meeting with Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Minister Agung Laksono said he has prepared 84 temporary shelters for about 19,000 evacuees in Jakarta.

"In case the flood is getting worst, we suggested people in the impacted areas to stay in the temporary shelters until the situation is back to normal," he said.

Two main roads in Indonesian capital city of Jakarta namely Thamrin and Sudirman are totally jammed due to floods that inundate the area since Thursday (Jan 16) morning.

Nearly one-meter high water inundating the two main roads of the city which is home to high rise office buildings. Cars and motorcycles are trapped in long traffic jam starting from Dukuh Atas bridge to Semanggi area.

In Bunderan or roundabout of Hotel Indonesia area, hundreds of people traveling with motorcycles failed to pass through the area due to the height of water.

Meanwhile hundreds of workers using public transportation are waiting on the side of the roads because the bus cannot pass by the inundated roads. Up till now, Jakarta is still cloudy with possibility of rain.

(R027/A051)

Editor: Maryati
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