A pedicab driver moves his pedicab through a flooded street in the district of Langkat in North Sumatra province Dec. 24, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    Rains triggered floods and landslides also in Batam. The floods inundated industrial and settlement areas. Some 500 families from Kampung Aceh (settlement of Acehnese) opposite the Batamindo Industrial zone, Mukakuning, had evacuated to safer areas.

    In Kampung Berlian, Batam Center, about 200 houses were inundated with the flood water reaching up to 2 meters, and an electric pole collapsed.

    In West Kalimantan, heavy downpours and high tides caused flooding of the provincial capital Pontianak, with the flood waters reaching a height of up to 50 centimeters.

    The Kapuas river overflowed as the downpours continued to fall in Sintang District, Giri Darmoko of the Pontianak meteorology and geophysics office said.

    As the floods were spreading to wider areas in the whole country, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on the regional governments of Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau and West Sumatra provinces to give priority to searching for the missing victims of floods in their respective areas.

    The central government rushed tents, food and other emergency aid to flood-ravaged parts of Sumatra island Monday while the United Nations pledged 2 million U.S. dollars for the survivors.

    The government sent 20 tons of humanitarian aid for flood and landslide victims in North Sumatra and Aceh provinces. The aid consisting of food stuff, clothes, blankets, tents, rubber boats, mats, kitchen utensils and toddler wares were transported using a C-30 Hercules plane from Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in Jakarta.

    The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) is launching intensive humanitarian operations in Sumatra island by dispatching 1,000 personnel to Aceh and North Sumatra. TNI headquarters information center head Commodore Mohammad Sunarto Sjoekronoputro said the military also sent heavy equipment, kitchen utensils and two helicopters as well as built field hospitals.

    Health authorities have also sent hundreds of medical workers to flood-hit areas in Indonesia's westernmost province of Aceh. "The medical workers divided into several teams were dispatched to the affected areas on Sunday to anticipate various flood-related diseases," head of the Aceh provincial health service dr HT Anjar Asmara said on Monday.

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