Thousands of homes and the central business district (CBD) have been inundated and traffic has come to a standstill in Jakarta, DPA reported on Thursday.
Of the eleven people killed in the floods two died in Jakarta and four family members in Semarang, the capital of the Central Java Province.
“Our map shows that about 50 percent of Jakarta is under water, ranging from 25 centimeters to 4 meters,” Johan Freddy, an official with National Disaster Management Agency, was quoted as saying.
He added that nearly 100,000 houses have been flooded leading to the displacement of 10,000 people into temporary shelters.
A state of emergency was declared by Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, who promised food and inflatable boats to flood victims.
“We have been informed that rains could intensify in the coming days. We have declared an emergency so that authorities can move quickly to provide assistance,” the governor said.
During the annual rainy season, which peaks between December and February, Jakarta is prone to flooding, exacerbated by clogged rivers and sewers.
In 2007, 57 people were killed in heavy flooding which forced 420,000 to leave their homes in the capital.