Monsoon flood causes Indonesian Capital to close down

Extreme flooding across several areas in the Indonesian capital forced more than a thousand people abandon their homes on Saturday. The country’s meteorology agency gave prior notices regarding the flood.

The Jakarta city is home to 10 million people. The flood water raised up to 1.8 meters high which causes around 1400 residents to evacuate the city, said Sadbo Kurniato, the acting head of Jakarta’s disaster mitigation agency in a statement.

People on social media posted photos of the residents where are wading through muddy waters, submerged cars, and the rescue teams rescuing elderly inhabitants in rubber dinghies due to the flood.

“According to the latest data, 200 residents have been affected” Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan told the local television early on Saturday, adding that more than two dozen evacuation centers have been prepared across the city.

The city was affected by the flood when Indonesia was already tussling with the highest case and death numbers from COVID-19.

Indonesia's meteorology agency (BMKG) has warned the heaviest rain of the season may fall in and around the densely populated capital in the coming days, with extreme weather, including heavy rain, thunder and strong winds, expected throughout next week.

"These are critical times that we need to be aware of," said Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of BMKG.

"Jakarta and its surrounding areas are still in the peak period of the rainy season, which is estimated to continue until the end of February or early March."

The BMKG said Jakarta would be on alert for the next four days with data from the meteorology agency showing intense rainfall in the past 24 hours with the area of Pasar Minggu, in Jakarta's south, recording 226 millimeters of rain since Friday.

1,000 evicted the city