Accidents kill more than 470 in Eid holiday travel in Indonesia

Sep 25, 2009, 4:24 GMT

   Jakarta - More than 470 people have been killed in road accidents as millions of Indonesian revellers were returning to major cities after celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr in their hometowns, media reports said Friday.

   A family of six was killed in a collision in East Java province Thursday when a minivan hit an intercity bus, bringing the number of people killed in road accidents in the past two days to more than 100, the newspaper Kompas reported.

   Jakarta city police spokesman Chrysnanda Dwi Laksana said the returning traffic was expected to peak Saturday and Sunday before all offices and school activity returned to normal Monday.

   At least 472 people have been killed in road accidents in the past 10 days in Indonesia. Many feared the death toll would rise further as more accidents were expected take place during the peak period.

   More than 600 people were killed in accidents during last year's holiday season.

   This year's Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, was celebrated Sunday in Indonesia.

   Experts have called on government authorities to enforce laws to prevent a further rise in casualties in road accidents. Motorcycles, for example, often carry ,pre than two people, including children, despite a rule banning more than one passenger.