Thousands displaced in flood-ravaged Indonesia

JAKARTA -- The number of evacuee rose to 3, 929 people on Monday from 810 people last week as widespread flooding has submerged several areas in Purworejo district of Central Java since Thursday, official said here.

Local authorities warned the people to brace for possible floods and landslides as heavy rains are foreseen to peak in coming days, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster management and mitigation agency, told Xinhua by phone.

The head of district declared an emergency relief period from December 23 to January 23, he said.

Torrential rains had bloated rivers in Purworejo district that they burst banks and triggered flooding since last week, killing four people, causing landslides and damaging dozens of houses.

But, to date, waters in several areas in the district have commenced to recede, according to Sutopo.    

Seasonal downpours have often incurred floods each year in Indonesia, a chain of 17,500 islands where over millions of people live in vulnerable flood plains that are close to rivers.