Death toll of dam burst in Indonesia rises to 35
17:00 26/03/2009

     

The number of fatality of dam break in outskirts of Jakarta on Friday rose to 35 after rescuers found more bodies, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Supriyadi Kardono said here.

Residents are evacuated from the flood-hit area in the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, March 27, 2009. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

The spokesman said that searching for the other possible victim of the break of the Situgintung dam was underway.

"Now the toll has increased to 35 people," he told Xinhua.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited the disaster area.

The collapse of the dam was caused by overflow of water, which destroyed eight houses and submerged hundreds of others. Hundreds of residents had to flee their homes and take shelters at a Muhammadiyah University in the town, the spokesman said.

"Heavy rain has made the water of the dam increase rapidly, and the water gate is too small to channeled the over volume water, so it broke the gate," he said.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

Source : vietnamnet.vn