Nine-months pregnant with her second child, Sri washed her family's clothes in the dirty brown water in the middle of the road, and used the curb stones as her washboard. "We didn't have time to carry anything with us except our clothes," said the 26-year-old mother who is one of hundreds of thousands of people forced to flee floods that have inundated the city.

Every once in a while she shouted to her four-year-old son to be careful. But Hasan was more intent on enjoying the rare opportunity to swim.

Dozens of other children were playing in the murky water, laughing and chattering carefree as their parents recounted their woes.

"My marriage certificate and other documents were washed away when we left our home," Sri said, recalling the night when the waters rose and drove her and seven other members of her family from their home by the river bank.

Sri and scores of her neighbours have taken refuge in a market carpark building not far from her house.

"It's cold at night," Sri said, hoping that volunteers will send her and her family some blankets.

Having lost everything she owns to the swirling brown waters, Sri, the wife of a building construction worker, said "we have to start all over again."

While the floods brought disaster for many, others were taking advantage of new business opportunities.

With most schools closed, one man was earning some extra money by entertaining boys who have time on their hands.

With eight Gameboys wired up to a motorcycle battery, Deni was all smiles as he instructed his young customers how to operate the portable game consoles which he rents for 500 rupiah (about five cents) for 20 minutes.

"It's not bad, the children are not in school," Deni said, adding that he was earning much more than at his usual post in the playground of an elementary school.

Deni was not the only one reaping a profit from the worst floods to hit Jakarta in the past five years.

A section of the road near the East Jakarta Jatinegara market resembled a makeshift fair rather than a refuge for flood victims.

Food vendors opened for business next to the emergency shelters as children ran around, and volunteer workers blasted loud music over their pickup's sound system.

Sodikin, a food vendor, said he had changed his route and parked his cart near the emergency shelters where he sells omelettes for 1,500 rupiah an egg.

"I sold almost 10 kilos (22 pounds) of eggs the other day, more than twice what I usually sell," he said with a grin.

Despite his own house being flooded, Sodikin said the rain had brought him good luck.

"I usually earn 30,000 rupiah a day and now I can get up to 80,000 rupiah," he said, although he complained that the price of eggs had risen since the floods.

Fellow food vendor Abdul Rohman, 40, who sells meatball soup, said: "We lost everything but managed to save this cart."

Despite having nowhere to live, Rohman was determined to keep busy.

"It is better to work than sit around doing nothing," he said.

Source: Agence France-Presse