Scores still missing after dam bursts in Indonesia

CIRENDEU, Indonesia - Search-and-rescue teams dug through the mud with their bare hands and hoes yesterday in search of more than 100 people still missing after a dam burst outside Indonesia's capital. With hope fading, they predicted the death toll of 77 would rise sharply.

The tragedy occurred when a large lake bordering a low-lying residential area southwest of Jakarta overflowed after a torrential downpour.

Water first cascaded over the rim of the Dutch-colonial-era dam and then, hours later, a huge section of the earth wall tore away, sending muddy water crashing into homes like a tsunami, tossing cars, toppling utility poles, and dragging bodies for miles.

Some residents blamed authorities yesterday, saying that the 76-year-old dam had been poorly maintained. They said that blocked spillways had led to repeated flooding over the years, weakening it at several points.

Hundreds gathered, meanwhile, at nearby Muhammadiyah University, which was turned into a makeshift morgue. Bodies were lined up in a row under batik sheets, and parents wailed as they identified their children.

Four field hospitals were set up to accommodate more than 180 injured, some with broken bones, head wounds, and severe cuts, said Rustam Pakaya, an official with the government crisis center.

The death toll kept climbing as soldiers, police, and volunteers dug in with excavators, hoes, or their bare hands, reaching 77 by nightfall.

"We've evacuated almost all of the survivors from their houses," said National Disaster Coordinating Agency spokesman Priyadi Kardono. "We fear most of the 102 reported missing have been killed."

Most of the water had receded yesterday, leaving behind streets covered in mud and debris. Cars that had been parked in driveways were swept hundreds of feet away, landing in parks. Sidewalks were strewn with sandals, cooking pans, and old photographs.

Some left homeless stayed in a university hall on high ground.

"What we urgently need are mattresses, blankets, clothes," said Abdul Hamid. "I don't have anything anymore, all I had was swept away by the water. I don't have clothes for my children and my grandchildren."

It was not immediately clear what caused the dam to break, but the Ministry of Public Works promised to investigate.

"We need to find a way to take better care of these Dutch-era dams," said Wahyu Hartono, a former ministry official, blaming budget shortfalls for the disaster. "Otherwise, there will be more problems like this."

Aldi Rojadi, 34, whose house was damaged, said that there had been reports of leaks for years and that someone should be held accountable.

But 30-year-old Rohmat, mopping the muddy floor of his house, said he was not expecting much.

"Whenever these thing happens, officials throw around blame," he said. "But really, what can we do about it? Nothing. We just have to accept it."