Jakarta remains on alert as flood continues

Senior Indonesian officials in charge of flood mitigation efforts imposed emergency alert status on the capital city Thursday which will last through Jan 27, Xinhua news agency reported.

"More tents and shelters will be set up in more locations in the capital city to help the refugees," Coordinating Minister for Public Welfare affairs Agung Laksono said on the sidelines of a coordination meeting.

At present, more than 19,000 people are seeking refuge in Jakarta.

Along with providing shelters, the central government, city hall and National Disaster Mitigation Agency of BNPB will give attention to sanitation and medical assistance for the refugees.

Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo said his government will issue a decree on emergency alert to ease operations to help the refugees.

"The decree will ease procurements of relief supplies for the refugees. It doesn't have to be conducted on auction basis in order to provide swift relief aid for the people affected by the flood," he said.

Nine people were reportedly killed during the flood caused by massive downpour in the capital city in the last few days, with many of the victims being elders.

Indonesian president has asked the military and police to take part in flood mitigation efforts by securing the shelters hosting the refugees and providing food supplies to them.

Agung Laksono said the current flood pounding at the capital is worse than the one in 2007.

Officials from Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics agency said that high intensity rain is expected to continue within the next few days.