"Up till now floods have caused five casualties," he said adding that electrocuted and sickness were among reasons behind their deaths.
Meanwhile until Thursday afternoon water in Ciliwung river has receded. However, Jakarta has been declared in emergency state until January 27.
Office and daily activities in Jakarta were almost completely paralyzed on Thursday as floodwaters hit the capital city and inundated its roads.
Traffic jams were seen in various parts of the city as vehicles struggled to move on the flooded roads. Many two-wheelers faced engine trouble and had to be pushed along.
One of the main roads of the city, Jalan Thamrin, was severely flooded, while many other roads in Central Jakarta, including the National Monument (Monas) square, were also submerged. People employed at offices along these roads found it hard to reach their workplaces.
Trains services were also disrupted. Commuter trains from Depok had to stop in Manggarai railway station, while others such as those serving the Serpong-Jakarta route stopped at Pondok Ranji and Pal Merah stations.
By 10 am, many more roads were flooded, starting from the Jalan Pemuda-Jalan Pramuka area, up to the Pasar Genjing market, with flood waters reaching a height of up to one foot.
The cross-point of Jalan Salemba and Kramat was also heavily inundated. The floods also prevented a number of doctors from reaching the Cipto Mangungkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta.
(W004/A051/F001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
