The social affairs ministry was not immediately available to confirm the report.

An official from the social affairs ministry said yesterday: We were tied up with other matters today.

Lebanon's social affairs ministry, which handles the refugee issue, said the steps required were "clear and proportionate."

He is elderly and his health is also a consideration, Widodo told reporters, according to a statement from the social affairs ministry.

And it urged foreign donors to review funding to the police and Social Affairs Ministry.

Social affairs ministry spokesman Joko Hariyanto said in a message to Reuters that the death toll had now reached 21.

The Indonesian Social Affairs ministry will move today to determine whether the adoption of an Indonesian-born child with Irish citizenship is legal.

Social affairs ministry data showed 26 people were killed in the flooding, up from the earlier toll of 21.

But the Jakarta Post reports Indonesia's Social Affairs Ministry has sent $US53,000 worth of food, medical and educational supplies to the displaced.