Hurricane Bush II:
George of the Jungle

It would appear that the State of Indonesia is allowed to show the
pseudo Christian world how it can cope in a disaster. I have no doubt
that country as corrupt as the USA can handle the situation with
remarkable ease considering the lack of a FEMA. Or perhaps it is the
lack of a National Guard, helicopters and the worlds largest navy?

"JAKARTA, Indonesia Feb 5, 2007 (AP)- Horse-drawn carts rescued
residents from flood-stricken districts in the Indonesian capital on
Monday after flooding burst riverbanks, killing at least 29 people and
forcing some 340,000 to flee their homes in recent days.

Clearer skies brought some relief on Monday, and witnesses said
floodwaters were receding in several areas while levels at key rivers
were dropping.

However, large areas remained submerged under waist-high waters and
officials warned that rain to the south, which causes rivers that flow
into Jakarta to swell, might result in more flooding later in the day.

"Authorities estimated that between 40 percent and 70 percent of the
city, which spans an area of 412 square miles about the size of San
Antonio, Texas had been inundated.

"We expect residents to stay alert because water may rise again and
very fast," said Sihar Simanjuntak, an official monitoring the many
rivers that crisscross this city of 12 million people.

People living in one upscale area hired carts and horses to pull them
to safety.

"The government is awful," said Augustina Rusli, who for five days was
trapped on the second floor of her house with her 10-month old baby,
expecting the floods to be short-lived. "We have a neighbor who is
sick with cancer but no one has come to rescue her."

Jakarta's heavily criticized governor said he could not be held
responsible for the worst floods to hit the city in living memory,
saying they were a "natural phenomenon" that occur every five years.

"There is no point in throwing abuse around," Governor Sutiyoso, who
goes by one name, told el-Shinta radio station. "I was up until 3 a.m.
this morning trying to handle the refugees."

Incessant rain that starting falling Thursday on Jakarta and the hills
south of the city triggered the floods. Tens of thousands of homes,
school and hospitals in poor and wealthy districts alike were
inundated.

Indonesia's meteorological agency has forecast rain for the next two
weeks.

The government has dispatched medical teams on rubber rafts into the
worst-hit districts amid fears that disease may spread among residents
living in squalid conditions with limited access to clean drinking
water.

As of Monday, 29 people had died, mostly by drowning or electrocution,
officials said.

"We have to be alert for diseases like typhoid, those transmitted by
rats and respiratory infections. Hopefully, there will be no
dysentery," said Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari. "We know it's
hard for the residents (to keep clean) under the circumstances, but
they have to."

Dr. Rustam Pakaya, from the Health Ministry's crisis center, said
nearly 340,000 people had been made homeless, many of whom were
staying with friends or family or at mosques and government buildings.

Jakarta regularly floods, though not on this scale. Dozens of slum
areas near rivers are washed out each year. Residents either refuse or
are too poor to vacate the districts.

Seasonal downpours cause dozens of landslides and flash floods each
year in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of 17,000 islands, where
millions live in mountainous areas or near fertile plains."

No doubt the residents left to themselves will have no silly ideas
about receiving state help. Thus will have more of a chance than the
deluded and abandoned USAns were.

"Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or
redistributed."
******** to that.

On Feb 5, 3:11 pm, "Weatherlawyer" wrote:
Hurricane Bush II:
George of the Jungle

It would appear that the State of Indonesia is allowed to show the
pseudo Christian world how it can cope in a disaster. I have no doubt
that country as corrupt as the USA can handle the situation with
remarkable ease considering the lack of a FEMA. Or perhaps it is the
lack of a National Guard, helicopters and the worlds largest navy?

All set to return, this time last disaster, the whites were just about
evicted -some against their will and their Constitution; and the
blacks were just beginning the return of the Klan.

But over in a third world country no better "developed" than the US
"deep south":

"Floodwaters have begun receding in Jakarta, but officials urged
residents to be prepared for the worst and issued repeated warnings
that more heavy rain could trigger renewed flooding in the city.

Much of the city still remained under filthy water on Wednesday,
sparking concerns over a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Arie Budhiman, a city spokesman, said there could be more flooding
should the weather turn for the worse.

"The water is continuing to recede further and many people are
returning home ... the worst has passed us," he said, but added that
the weather was unpredictable.

Massive floods since last week has killed 50 people, most due to
drowning or electrocution, Rustam Pakaya, from the health ministry's
crisis centre, said.

Many residents in the Indonesian capital of 12 million people have
returned home to clean up their houses and dry out belongings.

"The water is all gone, but the smell is awful," said Fifa, 18, who
was cleaning out her house.

"But at least we can get back to normal now," she said.

Many city roads previously submerged in floodwaters have been
reopened.

Appeal

Flood victims who sought shelter at schools, mosques and government
buildings have appealed for basic supplies.

Alamsyah, a district official, said: "There is a shortage of baby food
and blankets. We need more supplies."

Paskah Suzzeta, the planning minister, said the floods had cost
Jakarta an estimated half-a-billion dollars in losses."

Meanwhile a reminder that we still live in a world where if it is
possible for politicians to exacerbate things, they will

"The European Union has pledged $777,300 for food, water and
sanitation supplies while the Netherlands, Indonesia's former colonial
ruler, has pledged $1.3 m in aid."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...F3A817C637.htm

A common call that usually goes unheeded despite photo opportunities
of politicians from rich Western countries vowing help and film of the
much needed aid purportedly arriving.

Watch this space.