VIVAnews - A dam on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, burst Friday, killing more than 50 people and flooding hundreds of houses nearby, officials said. Many inhabitants living in the vicinity are still missing.
Director of Rivers and Dams at the Department of Public Works, Widagdo, told VIVAnews on Friday, March 27, the 21-hectare lake in Cirendeu, Ciputat, can actually bear around one million cubic meters of water. "But last night, the water seemed to have exceeded the volume," he said.
He further said the broken dam reached 25 meters out of the overall length of 200 meters. "The dam was built during the Dutch colonization. The burst was sourced from the dam's sewers," he said.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie had visited the scene of the disaster. "I will give direction during the emergency period," Yudhoyono said in a press conference.
In order to handle the survivors, the Department of Health has set up four posts and four field hospitals in the area.
Latest report said that a crack on the dam's wall in the depth of 15 meters was believed as the main cause of the burst. The leakage eroded the wall and resulted in a burst because the water volume continued increase due to heavy rainfall.
Governor of Banten, Ratu Atut Chosiyah, said from the scene that the dam had been planned to be renovated since two years ago. However, due to fund shortage, the plan had never been implemented.
It is informed that around 250 homes were destroyed. The provincial government will collaborate with the central government to provide the compensation.
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VIVAnews writers Umi Kalsum, Eko Priliawito, Elin Yunita Kristanti, Anda Nurlaila, Muhammad Hasits and Sandy Adam Mahaputra contributed in this article
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