Updated Jan. 1, 2020 11:28 AM
A period of heavy rain and thunderstorms in Indonesia's capital city turned deadly and caused significant travel disruptions.
The downpours began Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday morning inundating large swaths of the city and surrounding areas under feet of water.
At least nine deaths have been reported as of Wednesday evening local time, according to the Associated Press.
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An Indonesia rescue team evacuates residents from their flooded house at Jatibening on the outskirt of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. Severe flooding hit Indonesia's capital just after residents celebrating New Year's Eve, forcing a closure of an airport and thousands of inhabitants to flee their flooded homes.(AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
More than 19,000 people have been forced from their homes due to the flooding and several parts of the city remained without power as of Wednesday night.
The severe flooding caused widespread travel disruptions to road and rail services in and around the city.
Flight delays and cancellations were also reported at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. The airport was forced to close for a time during the worst of the heavy rain.
The flooding has been reported as the worst to hit the city since 2013, according to Bloomberg.
In a statement to reporters, Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan said around 120,000 people have been deployed to help with water rescues and evacuations.
Indonesia rescue team evacuate residents from their flooded house at Jatibening on the outskirt of Jakarta, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2020. Severe flooding hit Indonesia's capital just after residents celebrated New Year's Eve, forcing a closure of an airport and thousands of inhabitants to flee their flooded homes.(AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Widespread rainfall amounts of 150 mm (6 inches) were reported throughout the city along with local amounts up to 250 mm (10 inches). The hills outside the city recorded up to 370 mm (14.57 inches).
Most of this rain fell within a six-hour period Tuesday night.
The areas that were hit the hardest remained under 600-900 mm (2-3 feet) of water late Wednesday. Power outages remained in force to limit the risk for electrocutions in these communities.
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Additional downpours are possible across the region into Friday which may renew or spark additional flooding problems.
The wet season typically lasts into early April, with January and February being the wettest months of the year in Jakarta. The average monthly rainfall in both months is near 300 mm (12 inches).
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