Bangkok, 2013-01-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — PATA STATEMENT ON JAKARTA FLOODING
• Jakarta affected by massive flooding and is under emergency decree until January 27.
• Jakarta Soekarno Hatta International Airport still operating normally.
• Major tourist destinations in Indonesia beyond Jakarta are safe to visit.
Pouring rain and strong storms on Wednesday and Thursday disrupted daily life in Jakarta. Local authorities speak now of 100,000 people being evacuated. Water levels at several sluice gates continue to rise while sporadic electricity black-out has affected the work of water pumps.
According to local newspapers, the capital’s Central Business District has been inundated with many roads being cut. Some public transport has stopped operating. Regular black-outs are also to be expected. Toll roads to Jakarta Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng were also flooded, generating long traffic jams.
Jakarta is now under Emergency Decree until January 27 to help relevant authorities to take the appropriate measures to help the city respond effectively and quickly. The Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has urged residents to avoid leaving their homes.
PATA advices travellers to defer travelling to Jakarta for now, as the situation remains chaotic in the city. Travellers should also be cautious when travelling to West Java (Bandung/Bogor) as heavy rains are also expected.
However, other major tourist destinations in Indonesia are safe to visit. Bali, Medan and Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Yogyakarta in Central Java and Surabaya in East Java have NOT been affected by flooding.
PATA statement: “We would like to express our sympathy to Jakarta inhabitants and to the Indonesian government. PATA is in contact with the authorities in Jakarta. We recommend people follow latest updates from reliable sources on Twitter. PATA is ready to provide assistance and support to the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and the Jakarta City Government for Jakarta’s recovery, once the situation normalizes,” said PATA CEO, Martin Craigs.
Information sources:
Twitter — Follow hashtags: #jakarta #floods #indonesia
Australian Government: Smartraveller.gov.au
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Indonesia
-ENDS-
Media Contact:
Parita Niemwongse
PATA Communications,
Bangkok, Thailand.
Tel: +66 2 658 2000
E-mail: communications@PATA.org
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About PATA
Since its foundation in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association ( PATA ), a not-for profit membership association, has achieved international acclaim by acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, leadership and events to its members, comprising 90 government, state and city tourism bodies, nearly 30 international airlines, airports and cruise lines, 57 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel professionals belong to dozens of local PATA chapters worldwide. The chapters organise travel industry training and business development events. PATA ‘s ‘Next Generation’ mPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA ‘s headquarters is in Bangkok.
Visit www.PATA.org.
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