REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - As water inundates Plaza UOB, people reported could sense a strong smell, probably from decomposing bodies trapped at the basements. Until Saturday night, the evacuation and pumping out the flooded basements process were still undergoing, witnesed by Governor of Jakarta Joko Widodo. 

"We can sense the very strong smell, probably from the bodies trapped at the basements," Ali Mochtar Ngabalin, a diver who worked with marine personnel, said on Saturday.   

Dozens cars were being parked at the first and second level basements when flood hit the building. Ngabalin predicted, a number of people were trapped as also has a waiting room for drivers. 

"Possibly, some drivers were still at the basements when flood hit," the former member of parliament said.    

Ngabalin expressed his corncern over the reaction from building's management. "They didn't allow us any access to the building while we were just trying to help," he said. 

Flood hit Plaza UOB on Thursday morning as the barrier failed to resist the flowing water. Water was reported at three meters deep at the first level basement. The rescue team found two dead victims, Abdul Arif Agus and Haridianto Eko.

Until saturday night, the dead victims of Jakarta flooding rose to 15. Earlier in the morning, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the number of dead victims of the Jakarta floods had up to Saturday at 7 am, risen to 14. 

"We have found additional two death tolls so that the number of dead victims increased from 12 on Friday to 14 this morning," BNPB Head for Public Relations and Information Affairs Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Saturday.

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