INDONESIA: Aid organisations deliver food and medicine to the worst hit flood areas in capital Jakarta

Trucks from the World Food Programme dropped food into one of the worst affected flood areas in Jakarta on Saturday (February 10) amid complains that the government has failed to respond quickly to the crisis. Flood victims accused the government of giving no aid since the Indonesian capital was hit by the worst floods it has seen in five years. The government has denied the accusations saying they have donated food stuff, including blankets and medicines to the flood victims. The biscuits and instant noodles were welcomed by women and children in the village. "We give two kinds of food-- instant noodles and biscuits-- there are 600 boxes of instant noodles and 200 boxes of biscuit," said Mispan, the field supervisor of the World Food Programme who came to Sukapura with 2 trucks full of biscuit and noodles told Reuters. Fears of disease spreading in the metropolitan area of 14 million people remained as thousands of people continue to live in cramped emergency shelters or homes that lack complete plumbing and power. Authorities are on guard for diarrhea, cholera and skin diseases, among other illnesses. The Indonesian Red Cross set a medical treatment post for evacuees in the Eastern Jakarta area that was struck by floods last week. One of the victim's expressed her appreciation over the assistance. "The medical team is good for us who have suffered a lot since the floods, and I'm glad they are here--and many thanks for them," Mutiati said. Officials said that 100 people have been treated so far for illnesses directly related to the flood and the government was working hard to prevent an outbreak. Three of the victims had leptospirosis, a serious disease spread by rats and mice. Water started to subside over the weekend and residents were busy cleaning their houses swamped in thick mud and garbage. The floods in Jakarta have killed 57 people and more than 250,000 are still displaced from their homes-- many are sheltering under flyovers or in plastic tents near graveyards.

ITN Source | February 11, 2007

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