Oxfam Responds to Flooding in Jakarta, Indonesia

Posted: 9 February 2007

Oxfam emergency teams are responding to severe flooding in Jakarta and surrounding areas, providing assistance to those affected.

Oxfam emergency teams are responding to the severe flooding that caused devastation in Jakarta and surrounding areas last week by providing assistance to affected areas.

Heavy seasonal rain caused flooding in Jakarta on February 1 and continued over the weekend. Government sources indicate that more than 25 people have died and that more than 300,000 people were affected in an area that covers three-quarters of the city. The devastation caused by these floods has been the worst in the area in five years.

Oxfam is working with local partners Bahari and LPTP to support and add value to the government’s intervention by focusing on the area where people have received little or no assistance to date.

Oxfam and its partners are rushing supplies to the area to provide for the immediate emergency needs of the affected population through the distribution of clean water, sanitation facilities, and relief items such as hygiene kits and sarongs.

Though flood waters have begun to recede in some parts of the city and some people are returning to their homes, additional heavy rain forecasted for the next two weeks could trigger additional flooding and landslides.

Donations to help with the relief effort may be made to Oxfam America’s Global Emergencies Fund.