According to the local disaster management agency, over 80,000 individuals sought refuge in temporary government shelters following a devastating flood and landslide incident.
The catastrophe claimed the lives of at least 19 people and left seven others missing after torrential rains triggered flash floods and a landslide on Sumatra island in Indonesia.
The disaster buried 14 houses and flooded up to 20,000 houses, affecting nine districts and cities in West Sumatra province.
Doni Yusrizal, the head of the local disaster management agency, reported that tons of mud, rocks, and uprooted trees cascaded down a mountain late Friday, reaching a river that overflowed its banks and devastated mountainside villages in the Pesisir Selatan district.
By Saturday, rescuers had recovered seven bodies from the hardest-hit village of Koto XI Tarusan, along with three others from neighbouring villages, as reported by Yusrizal.
Additionally, six bodies were retrieved in Pesisir Selatan and three more in the adjacent district of Padang Pariaman, according to the National Disaster Management Agency, bringing the total death toll to 19.
According to a statement from the agency, at least two villagers sustained injuries from the flash flood, and rescuers are actively searching for seven individuals who are still reported as missing.
The statement also highlighted that over 80,000 people sought refuge in temporary government shelters following the catastrophic flood and landslide, which buried 14 houses.Additionally, approximately 20,000 houses were flooded up to the roof in nine districts and cities across West Sumatra province.
Yusrizal stated that “relief efforts for the deceased and missing were hindered by power outages, as well as blocked roads obscured by thick mud and debris”.
Indonesia experiences frequent landslides and flash floods due to heavy rains, particularly affecting millions o inf people residing in mountainous regions or near floodplains.
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