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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Jakarta Residents Flee Worst Floods In 20 Years

Associated Press

Three Indonesian rivers have overflowed, killing two people and forcing 5,000 Jakarta residents to flee the capital’s worst floods in 20 years. Some areas in the east and south of the city were covered in 10 feet of water.

Kusaeni Budiantoro of the Jakarta municipal office said the bodies of two people were found Saturday. They drowned when the Ciliwung river in Jakarta’s eastern suburbs overflowed two days earlier.

The Jakarta floods - created by recent torrents that have also caused problems in the western parts of Java and Sumatra - were the worst since 1976.

Weather officials in Jakarta said rains and strong winds were expected to continue until February.

The floods in West Java, Indonesia’s main producer of rice, have destroyed crops and forced nearly 10,000 people to flee their homes.