Indonesia floods inundate Jakarta, kill dozens

As many people in Jakarta were celebrating the New Year, heavy rains brought flooding and landslides, killing dozens and leaving the city paralyzed. Many were forced to flee their homes in the dark or retreat to roofs and upper floors. "The floods hit without warning," said one survivor.

The monsoon rains and rising rivers submerged more than 180 neighborhoods, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. Jakarta is home to 10 million people, but 30 million live in the greater metropolitan area.

Residents were forced to use inflatables to evacuate children and salvage belongings. Floodwaters rose an estimated 2.5 meters (8 feet) in some areas. The floods forced authorities to cut off electricity and water, and paralyzed transport networks.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan told reporters that 120,000 rescue personnel had been deployed to assist in the evacuation and mobile water pumps were being installed to bring down the water levels.

At one point more than 170,000 people were being housed in shelters across Jakarta, after floodwaters inundated entire suburbs.

Transport networks in the city have come to a halt as roads and public transportation infrastructure remain underwater. The high waters even flooded the runway at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusumah airport, stranding thousands of passengers.

With much of the floodwater still lingering in the city, authorities do not yet know the full extent of the damage. Overdevelopment, trash and poor flood-mitigation infrastructure have contributed to the flooding. The rainy season is expected to continue until April.

With more rain in the forecast, residents are bracing for more flooding. Many took to social media to post photos and updates and to mark themselves safe.