A total of 19 people have died and seven are missing following landslides caused by torrential rains and flash floods on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, authorities said today.
The head of the local disaster management agency, Doni Yusrizal, said tons of mud, rocks and uprooted trees rolled down the mountain on Friday, reaching a river that overflowed its banks and flooded mountain villages in the province’s Pesisir Selatan district. of West Sumatra.
Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency counted 19 fatalities, with relief teams on the ground searching for seven people still missing. At least two people were injured, he said.
More than 80,000 people fled to temporary shelters provided by the government following floods and landslides buried 14 houses, while 20,000 houses were flooded to the roof in nine districts and cities in West Sumatra province, the agency added. in a statement.
“Relief efforts were hampered by electricity cuts, blocked roads covered in thick mud and debris,” Yusrizal said.
