Chaotic moment roof at Jakarta Airport rips open and water gushes in

Chaos erupted at a popular airport among British travellers when part of a terminal roof gave way, sending debris and water pouring into a crowded departure lounge. The incident sparked panic among passengers after a section of Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia gave way following a bout of heavy rain.

Dramatic footage from the scene shows the airport terminal flooding as part of the roof rips open, sending gushes of water crashing down on travellers and causing numerous flights to be cancelled or delayed. The heavy downpour can also be seen hitting machinery inside the departure lounge. The incident took place at around 1.40pm local time on April 6 at Terminal 3 of the Indonesian capital’s main international airport and lasted for around five minutes.

“The condition of the disturbance at one point of the roof lasted for about 5 minutes,” an airport spokesperson told local media outlets.

Officials said 12 flights were diverted because of severe weather while another 28 were disrupted.

“We apologize to the public, airport service users, airline passengers, and business partners for the inconvenience caused, particularly due to the disruption involving the roof at Boarding Lounge Gate 7 of Terminal 3,” InJourney Airports Corporate Secretary Group Head Arie Ahsanurrohim said in a statement.

Mr Ahsanurrohim said the damage was caused by a large volume of rainwater that overwhelmed the drainage system on Monday afternoon.

He added that Jakarta was under a severe weather alert at the time of the incident.

Mr Yudistiawan, assistant deputy for communication and legal affairs at PT Angkasa Pura Indonesia (InJourney Airports) for Soekarno-Hatta Airport, confirmed there were no injuries and airport staff worked swiftly to clear the debris.

Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is one of the busiest in Southeast Asia, serving as the main hub for both domestic and international flights in Indonesia, likely serving many Brits who visit the country.

Terminal 3 in particular is the largest and busiest terminal, mainly for international flights. It is the busiest terminal in the airport, handling thousands of passengers per hour.