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JAKARTA - Floods blocked roads and railways in Jakarta and thousands of people abandoned their homes in low-lying areas as torrential downpours virtually paralysed the Indonesian capital Friday.
Streets normally jammed with traffic were much quieter as floods brought public transport to a near-standstill, preventing many people from getting to work or school.
"I have been waiting for my bus for almost an hour. They are very few and far between and, when it comes, it is packed," said Hana, waiting in Kampung Melayu bus terminal for a bus to her office in central Jakarta.
Floods more than a metre (three feet) deep have forced thousands of people to flee homes in lower-lying areas and districts along river banks following heavy rains that have lashed the capital since Wednesday.
Indonesian Red Cross volunteers were cooking and delivering food to people stranded in their flooded homes or sheltering on the side of streets.
"We opened a public kitchen on Wednesday in East Jakarta for 2,300 people and in South Jakarta for 4,500 people," Indra from the Red Cross crisis centre told AFP.
The key M. H. Thamrin highway, which runs north to south through the city, was flooded up to half a metre, causing traffic jams.
State news agency Antara reported the main toll road connecting the capital with the city of Bogor was blocked with Jakarta-bound traffic forced to turn back 13 kilometres (eight miles) from the capital.
The main toll road connecting Jakarta and Tangerang was also closed and most train services were cancelled or running very infrequently.
Many people who work in the capital live in nearby Bogor, Tangerang, Bekasi and Depok.
The Meteorology and Geophysics office said Jakarta could expect still more rain over the next few days. - AFP/ir
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