Nearly 5,000 children flee the floods in Jakarta as floodwaters are expected to rise; Save the Children stands ready to respond

January 18th, 2012 (Jakarta, Indonesia) - Save the Children is ready to respond to the needs of nearly 5,000 displaced children and their families, after intense torrential rain caused the riverbanks to burst, causing the low-lying areas of Jakarta to flood.

It is the Indonesian capital’s worst floods in five years, with water levels rising to as high as three metres. According to Indonesia’s disaster agency, over 15,000 people have been forced to leave their homes.

“Children are always most vulnerable in these situations,” said Ricardo Caivano, country director for Save the Children in Indonesia. “We are especially worried about children who may have been separated from their parents during the flooding.  Children are also less likely to be able to cope with torrents of floodwater, especially if they cannot swim.”

Weather forecasters predict that intense rain will persist throughout the week. A city-wide state of emergency has been declared, and will apply until at least January 27.

 “Save the Children has pre-made relief items including toiletries, cleaning items, crockery and school materials. We stand ready to distribute these items to the affected children and families who need it the most.”  

To date, authorities estimate that nearly 98,000 families or 248,000 people are affected by the rain and floods, with over 15,000 in evacuation centres. Numbers are expected to increase as the rainfall continues to intensify. Save the Children will continue to monitor the flooding situation closely, particularly in Northern Jakarta.

Save the Children has worked in Indonesia for the past 37 years and quickly delivers humanitarian relief after the nation’s frequent earthquakes and other disasters.

ENDS

For media interviews, please contact Ricardo Caivano at (+62) 8119203185 or Ricardo.caivano@savethechildren.org.

For any other information, please contact Lynette Lim at (+65) 91864946 or lynette.lim@savethechildren.org.

Notes to Editors:
- The figure of 5,000 was derived from 15,423 displaced people, recorded by the Indonesia National Disaster Management Authority. According to the Census Bureau in 2011, 32 per cent of the population in Indonesia are under the age of 18.