At least 21 people have died in flooding in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, after the city had its most intense rainfall for at least 24 years. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) measured 377mm (14.8 inches) of rainfall in a day at an airport in East Jakarta.

That’s the most rain in a single day since at least 1996, when records supplied by the agency began. “The rain falling on New Year’s Eve… is not ordinary rain,” said the agency. The agency said the intensity of the rain was due to several factors, including the monsoon season, as well as a high amount of water vapour in the air.

At least 62,000 people have been evacuated out of the city. Some people spent the night on the roofs of their buildings while awaiting rescue.  The heavy rainfall is expected to continue until the weekend. Elsewhere in East Jakarta, 335mm was recorded, while in Bekasi, further east, 259mm fell.Rainfall above 150mm per day is considered extreme by the agency.(bbc)…[+]