Police say floods in Indonesia’s capital have killed at least 26 people and sent more than 100,000 fleeing their homes.
Jakarta police spokesman Col. Rikwanto said Monday that most of the victims were electrocuted or drowned in floodwaters reaching up to 6.5 feet high in some places. About 103,000 people are living in temporary shelters.
The floods reached their peak Thursday after a dike in central Jakarta collapsed. They engulfed around 30 percent of the city of 14 million, including its business district center and the presidential palace.
Successive governments have done little to mitigate the flood threat. Indonesian industry minister M.S. Hidayat said the recent flooding may lead foreign investors to flee to neighboring countries.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Investigating Claims Involving Spontaneous Combustion
Use of Red Light Cameras Debated in Tennessee City
Illinois Cracks Down on Social Media ‘Flash Mobs’
USFA: Changing Severity of House Fires Related to Building Configuration and Flammability Issues
Hundreds of Aftershocks Since 2011 Virginia Quake
University of Illinois Researchers Ease Switch to New Healthcare Codes
Only 2 of 13 Small SUVs Do Well in Crash Tests
UN: $2.5 Trillion in Disaster Losses Since 2000
