By Zhao Jinchuan     

    JAKARTA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- Floods in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, have killed five people and forced 106,095 others to flee their homes, an official of local disaster management agency told Xinhua here Saturday.

    Two days of incessant rain triggered floods in the city that inundated thousands of homes, government buildings and businesses, forcing authorities to cut off electricity and water supplies. With many parts of the city still under neck-deep water, the authorities warned Saturday that more rivers may burst their banks.

    Many parts of Jakarta were on Friday morning covered by flood waters following heavy downpours since Thursday night, causing the closure of a number of streets and severe traffic snarls.

    In some of the inundated areas such as Cipinang Muara, Kalimalang, Ciledug, Kapuk, Tomang, Larangan, Bendungan Hilir, Kampung Melayu and Pasar Minggu, the level of the flood waters had risen to between 1 and 2.5 meters on Friday from a height of 70 - 100 centimeters on Thursday.

    The floods also virtually cut off roads connecting Jakarta's city center with suburbs like Bekasi, Tangerang, Bintaro, Ciputat and Depok, creating difficulties for people living there but working in the capital to reach their work places on time.

    Motorcyclists who refused to be held up by the flooding overcame the obstacle by having their vehicles onto carts to be drawn across the flood waters to passable parts of the road.

    In some areas, the flood water covered the houses to a height of 3-4 meters, local press reported.

    This was one of the worst floods in the capital city.

    In 2002's floods, at least 13 people were killed, and some 18,000 were affected by a diarrhea epidemic. The city reported economic losses of about 44 million U.S. dollars.

    When visiting an area inundated by flood waters in Kampung Melayu, East Jakarta, on Friday, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called for cooperation between Jakarta and surrounding cities like Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi in overcoming the problem.

    "There must be concerted efforts by the central government and the administrations of Jakarta and surrounding cities. There must also be a structural solution to the problem," he said.

    Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso Friday also declared the highest alert level for Angke, North Jakarta, where water reached more than three meters high.

    He said that the city administration had distributed food, medical supplies and other aid for those affected by the floods.

    Earlier, the Jakarta administration had made ready 100 rubber boats from the city's security and order service and 184 rubber boats from the natural disaster mitigation service. It also set up242 public kitchens and 158 platoons of tents and prepared 713 vehicles, four helicopters and 264 water pumps.

    Meanwhile, the Indonesian military on Friday deployed 1,729 personnel to flood-hit areas in Jakarta and environs to help flood victims.

    The Army personnel, equipped with 25 rubber boats, 40 rafts and60 trucks, were deployed to Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang, while the Navy personnel, equipped with 47 rubber boats and 49 trucks, were deployed to Sunter, Cawang, Fatmawati, Kemang, Cipulir, Jatibening, Bekasi and Ciledug.

    Waters had receded slightly Saturday in some city-center districts but were rising in outlying areas. The country's meteorology department forecast more rains Saturday and over the next two weeks.

    Seasonal rains cause flooding each year in Indonesia, including the capital, but Friday's were the worst since 2002.

    Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar attributed the severe floods to the elimination of water catchment areas following the construction of buildings in great numbers.

    "There are too many malls (shopping centers) in the capital city," the minister said.

    According to the minister, many developers had not paid serious attention to the ecological impact of their projects and constructed buildings recklessly in water catchment areas.

    Among other factors causing floods was people's low awareness of the importance of conserving forests, the minister said, adding that therefore they should help stop deforestation to reduce floods.

    In addition, he said, people should increase their awareness of disposing of waste into the proper places.