Twelve people have died of dehydration and exhaustion after getting stuck in a traffic jam on the island of Java in Indonesia.

Crowds travelling to their home villages to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan converged around a single traffic junction in the city of Berbes, where building work forced some to wait for several days. 

Many of the victims died from fatigue, according to officials, while local media reported one child was killed by exhaust fumes.

The intersection is referred to by locals as "Brexit", a term combining of "Brebes" and "exit". 

“In terms of this ‘Brexit’ case, there’s been a total of 12 victims over different days,” AFP quoted an Indonesian transport ministry spokesman as saying.

Over 400 people have died on the country’s roads during the holiday period, including those who passed away this week, Hemi Pramuraharjo said.