Death toll rises to 15 in Indonesia's floods, landslides

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At least 15 people were killed, one was missing and three were wounded as flash floods and landslides struck Indonesia's capital of Jakarta and nearby provinces, while the evacuation of affected people is underway, disaster officials said on Wednesday.

Days of heavy downpours triggered waters in several rivers to overflow their banks and submerged thousands of houses in the capital city, West Java province and Banten province, the officials said.

The waters disturbed business activities in Jakarta, and the evacuation for the affected people is underway, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Agus Wibowo said.

"For now, evacuation and rescue measures for the affected people have been put at the top priority," he told Xinhua by phone.

Head of the West Java Provincial Disaster Management Agency's Emergency Unit Budi Budiman said that landslides and floods had left 10 people dead, one missing and three others injured.

Soldiers, police personnel and those from the disaster agency, and the search and rescue office have been jointly evacuating the affected residents to safer grounds, Budi told Xinhua by phone.

In Banten province's district of Lebak, flash floods on Wednesday killed five people and destroyed scores of houses, school buildings, bridges and other infrastructure facilities, said Kaprawi Hari, head of the disaster agency in the district.

"The victims were swept away by the strong current," he told Xinhua by phone.

Residents were evacuated to their relatives' houses, office buildings and mosques, he said.

The wet season in Indonesia commenced in November, 2019, and will reach its peak from January to March of this year, according to the Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency.

Indonesia has been frequently stricken by floods and landslides during heavy rains.

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