A man sitting outside his house in a flooded area of Jakarta yesterday.

Torrential rain triggered flooding in parts of the Indonesian capital on Thursday night, the country's disaster agency said yesterday, forcing the evacuation of residents.

Heavy rain pounded the greater Jakarta area, causing the Ciliwung River to burst its banks and cause flash floods in at least 17 communities.

Dozens of residents in parts of the capital's east, where flooding occurs frequently during rainy season, were forced to wade through 1m-high water.

Images from some parts of the city showed people taking refuge on higher ground with their belongings, while the authorities tried to reach hard-hit areas using rubber boats.