Indonesia

Death toll rises to 97 in Jakarta suburb after burst dam

Article published on the 2009-03-29 Latest update 2009-03-29 11:08 TU

A local resident trying to walk his dog through a flooded street on the outskirts of Jakarta on 27 March.
(Photo: Reuters)

The death toll from a burst dam in Indonesia has risen to 97 on Sunday, after continued efforts by rescue workers to find more than 100 people still missing.

Almost 100 people were killed in a Jakarta suburb after the Situ Gintung dam burst on Friday after heavy rain.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed when the earthen dam collapsed and around 700 rescue workers are still working to find 102 people still listed as missing.

The dam was built in 1933 during Dutch colonial rule and authorities blame the disaster on high water pressure, although some local residents and environmentalists say that bad maintenance is to blame.

Officials are still trying to verify the exact number of people missing, following reports that some people had managed to evacuate the area and were staying elsewhere.

Many local were still sleeping when the dam burst early on Friday morning.