Some people take to paddling in small rubber lifeboats or tyre inner-tubes to get around in Indonesia. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian rescuers have been stepping up search for those missing after flash floods and landslides, triggered by torrential rains, hit Jakarta and surrounding areas on December 31, killing at least 43 people.
The fatalities are likely to increase as many people have been reported unaccounted for, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB)’s spokesperson Agus Wibowo.
Bogor city was the hardest hit where 17 people were confirmed dead, followed by Jakarta (9 deaths) and Lebak Regency (8 deaths), the BNPB reported on January 3.
It was the worst flooding in Indonesia since 2013.
The Indonesian government has deployed multiple forces to cope with the disaster aftermaths. Hundreds of pumps have been used to suck water out of residential areas and public infrastructure, like railways.
On January 2, the Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) said it will use weather modification technology to divert rain clouds from Greater Jakarta to prevent additional flooding.
The BPPT plans to cause the rain to fall in the Sunda Strait or Lampung, but if the wind blows to the east, the rainfall will be directed to dams such as Jatiluhur and Jatigede in the southeast of Jakarta.
The BNPB and Indonesian Military will support the BPPT by deploying two aircraft in the weather modification mission./.
VNA
