Deaths in Indonesia dam collapse

27/03/2009| IslamWeb

At least 19 people are thought to have drowned after a dam burst on the outskirts of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

 

The collapse of the dam triggered a surge of water that crashed through a crowded residential neighborhood early on Friday morning.

 

The flood submerged around 400 houses in water up to 2 meters deep in some places.

 

Rescue officials say they fear the death toll could rise much further because the surge occurred when many people were asleep.

 

The dam was holding about 2 million cubic meters of water on the Pesanggrahan river.

 

The local head of police said it was not clear what has caused the 10 meter high dam wall to fail.

 

PHOTO CAPTION

 

Map of Indonesia

 

Al-Jazeera