Indonesia dam burst kills dozens

A dam has burst south-west of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, killing dozens of people.

Witnesses said a "horrifying" flash flood engulfed hundreds of homes in Cirendeu in the Tangerang district.

Officials say about 50 bodies have been found but the death toll is expected to rise as many more people are missing.

It is not clear what caused the burst but an official said the Situ Gintung lake behind the dam became overloaded after hours of heavy rain.

The incident happened at about 0200 local time (1900GMT) in the popular tourist area.

Cars were swept away and telephone lines toppled by the surge of water laden with debris.

"People were still sleeping and couldn't do anything," local official Danang Susanto told the AFP news agency.

"Many people are still trapped and the rescue is ongoing. We've sent out 10 rubber boats to evacuate the victims."

He said there had been heavy wind and rain overnight with many trees uprooted.

Television footage showed rescue workers wading through deep water and bodies being pulled from the mud.

Vice-President Yusuf Kalla and Welfare Minister Aburizal Bakrie had visited the scene of the disaster, Indonesia's Metro TV reported.

"We will provide emergency help to the victims. For those whose homes were destroyed, the government will help with the repairs," Mr Kalla was quoted as saying.

The decades-old dam had been holding back a lake of about 2m cubic metres of water.