At least 12 people have died of dehydration and exhaustion while sitting in traffic in Indonesia. Traffic filled up three lanes for several days on the island of Java. Crowds travelling to their home villages to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan converged around a single traffic junction, where building work forced them to wait. Most victims were elderly and died in hot cars, officials say. One toddler was poisoned to death by exhaust fumes, BBC reported. Daytime temperatures in the city of Brebes, where the jam occurred, have been close to 30 degrees Celsius all week. The authorities have set up a hotline for stranded drivers to call in a medical emergency but correspondents say it is unclear how help would reach anyone in trouble. Transport officials said the deaths happened between Sunday and Tuesday. The traffic jam was more than 21 km long. The Indonesian Health Ministry said people who were planning a long car journey should rest along the way and take necessary precautions.
