Falling trees land on vehicles in storm

JAKARTA (JP): Vehicles in several parking lots were damaged after trees and branches fell on them when a storm lashed the capital on Thursday afternoon.

No fatalities were recorded but the downpour, which lasted less than two hours, inundated several major streets, particularly in the city center, causing heavy traffic congestion.

Among the vehicles damaged were several parked at the Bank Central Asia headquarters on Jl. Sudirman and the House of Representatives on Jl. Gatot Subroto.

At least four vehicles were damaged by falling branches in the bank compound when the storm struck at about 12:20 p.m.

"The damaged vehicles were immediately towed away. Two belonged to the bank itself, while the other two belonged to customers of the bank," a parking attendant, who requested anonymity, said.

The vehicles were the bank's gray Toyota Kijang van and a gray Honda sedan, and the others were an Isuzu Panther van and a Honda Civic sedan.

A tree which fell on Jl. Palmerah Utara caused a severe traffic jam as drivers attempted to use the other lane.

A tree blocking a narrow road behind Plaza Indonesia also caused traffic congestion for about an hour.

Traffic was also backed up near the Semanggi cloverleaf. (ylt/bsr)