Jakarta, Aug 5 (IANS): The Asian Games flame reached Palembang on Saturday, the co-host of the Games along with Jakarta, before moving on to its next destinations of Banten and West Java provinces prior to the Asiad opening ceremony slated for August 18 in Jakarta.

The arrival of the flame in the South Sumatran city, was welcomed with a grand ceremony featuring by air force aerobatics and various cultural activities, reports Xinhua news agency.

The flame was brought to the Palembang Asiad stadium in a tinder box by parachutists from the Indonesian air force, received by military and police chiefs, the South Sumatra governor and the head of the Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (INASGOC) Erick Thohir.

"The Relay of the Asiad flame to various cities was aimed at introducing the sports event to people across the country, giving all of them the spirit to host the Asian Games," Erick said in his remarks to address the torch relay in here.

The torch relay run in Palembang took a 24-kilometre route around the city, passing through the Asiad stadium compound and several landmarks.Jakarta, Aug 5 (IANS):

Before its arrival in Palembang, the Asiad flame toured cities in Indonesia's western, central, and eastern regions, including in its easternmost province of Papua.

The flame was lit in the middle of last month in India's Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi that hosted the first Asiad in 1951.