Singing: Holy night, silent night

Cities across Indonesia will not be celebrating New Year with their usual fanfare, choosing instead subdued celebrations as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides in Sumatra that have killed more than 1,000 people.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), flash floods and landslides that struck parts of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, have claimed at least 1,068 lives. Another 190 people remain missing and around 7,000 have been injured.

In Jakarta, Governor Pramono Anung said the capital's New Year celebrations would be held in a calm and reflective manner, with prayers for disaster victims taking centre stage.

Similar decisions have been taken in other cities. Bali, has cancelled its usual New Year's Eve music concerts and fireworks and will host a cultural arts event instead, and in Banyumas regency, Central Java, New Year will also be marked quietly.

Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin has gone further, urging residents not to hold New Year's Eve parties at all.

[Abridged from a Jakarta Globe article titled "Cities across Indonesia scale back New Year celebrations after Sumatra floods".]