A mother trapped during floods in Indonesia gave birth on a wooden boat.

The woman named Kartini, 39, went into labor on November 14 while her home had been submerged for three weeks following heavy rain in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.

Her husband Abdul, 47, rushed her to the public health centre by boat after she went into labour at their house. Seven family members accompanied them.

As they rode towards the hospital, Kartini couldn’t hold the baby in and finally gave birth while her relatives assisted.

Kartini said: ‘I couldn’t stay strong, and my baby was born on the boat. I’m grateful that she survived.’

Upon reaching land, the family called officers at the Flood Handling Post to send for an ambulance, which swiftly arrived along with two midwives who looked after Kartini and her baby.

The medical staff cut the baby’s placenta and took mother and daughter to the Sungai Durian Health Center in Sintang Regency, where they underwent treatment.

Midwife Desy Triutamy said: ‘The newborn weighed 3.1 kilograms, and her condition is healthy. The mother and baby have been allowed to go home.’

Indonesia and other countries in Southeast Asia such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand are in the middle of their tropical monsoon rainy season, which lasts until October or November. Soaring temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius are often followed by powerful tropical storms with thunder, lightning, rain and flash floods.