Floods and landslides hit the Jakarta region on New Year's night, causing disaster in and around this megalopolis of 30 million people. Rescuers on Friday continued to search for dozens of missing people. Since Tuesday, at least 43 people have died and thousands of people are now homeless.
In Bekasi, a suburb of Jakarta hit hard, the recession has given way to swampy streets. The water level has sometimes reached the second floor of the buildings.