A large lake bordering a low-lying residential area southwest of Jakarta overflowed early Friday, sending water cascading over the rim with a thunderous rumble. Hours later, a huge section of the earth wall gave away, sending a 10-foot (three-meter) -high wave gushing through Cirendeu.
Some residents blamed authorities, saying the 76-year-old dam, built in the Dutch colonial era, had been poorly maintained. They said blocked spillways had led to repeated flooding over the years, weakening it in several points.
Seasonal downpours cause dozens of landslides and flash floods each year in Indonesia, a nation of 235 million.
More than 40 people were killed in the capital after rivers burst their banks two years ago. Critics said rampant overdevelopment, poor city planning and clogged drainage canals were partly to blame.
Search-and-rescue operations would continue for at least a week.
Some attention shifted to providing food and shelter to the more than 1,600 people left homeless.
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