Breaking: Ritz-Carlton, Marriott hotels in Jakarta rocked by bomb blasts

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: Death toll up to 6. President Obama has been notified of bombing.

UPDATE: Twitter breaks Jakarta news.

Twitter has once again proved its worth as a lightning fast way to spread information during disasters and breaking news events.

Daniel Tumiwa appeared to be first in the world to report the Jakarta bombings on the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels.

"Bom @ marriot and ritz Carlton kuningan jakarta," he wrote.

"Left location.Shocked. Lots of blood. Breakfast meetings at coffee shops while bombs went off."

Before long other Indonesians were uploading photographs and details they had recorded on their mobile phones. [...]

Read all of the tweets coming from inside Jakarta at this page.

Twitpics

Original post:

Bad news:

UPDATE: POLICE say at least four foreigners have been killed in explosions at two five-star hotels in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Bombs exploded at the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels, ripping the facade off the Ritz, police said.

An Associated Press reporter saw three injured taken away from the Ritz.

A witness reported seeing bodies inside the Marriot.

More:

The head of the Health Ministry crisis center, Rustam Pakaya, said at least two people were seriously injured, including one New Zealander. One hospital emergency room said it was already treating 15 people.

South Jakarta police Col. Firman Bundi confirmed that four foreigners were killed in the blasts at the neighboring hotels in an upscale Jakarta neighborhood.