Jakarta Archdiocese assisting
victims of Indonesia’s deadly floods
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| A Jakarta resident stores up clean water at her flood-damaged house (AFP) |
As the death toll rises to 53 people in the massive flooding
that struck Indonesia’s capital, the local Catholic Church springs into action
to provide assistance to those who have fled their homes in Jakarta.
By Devin Watkins
The Archdiocese of Jakarta began a campaign to collect funds
and relief items just a day after floods struck the capital.
Food, toiletries, and medicine are being handed out to
people forced from their homes.
The Daya Dharma Institute even provided several boats to
help people reach higher ground.
Yosepha Ajeng, who is with the Institute, told ucanews that
the social services arm of the local Church has asked Catholics “to provide
food, soap, and medicines to victims.”
Worst deluge in decades
Heavy rains struck Jakarta and surrounding areas late on New
Year’s Eve and into Wednesday.
The Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysics Agency
said Friday that the deluge was among the worst to hit Southeast Asia’s largest
city since records began in 1866.
Eight of Jakarta’s 13 rivers have overflowed their banks,
submerging vast swaths of the city.
Television footage showed mud-covered cars littering the
streets, some piled on top of each other.
The rains have continued, and Indonesia’s air force was
called in to seed clouds with salt in a bid to halt the precipitation.
Rising death toll
At least 53 people have died so far, and nearly 175,000
others were forced from their homes.
Save the Children, an aid agency, expressed fears the high
waters might contaminate drinking water reservoirs, making them a breeding
ground for infectious diseases.
Jakarta’s metropolitan area is home to over 30 million
people.
Anies Baswedan, the local governor, has warned that more
flooding is likely during the rainy season that lasts until March.
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