Death toll in Indonesian floods, landslides rises to 58

Palu, NU Online
The death toll in flooding and a series of landslides in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi has risen to 58, a disaster control official said Tuesday, while thousands remained in shelters.

"The number of dead victims now stands at 58," said the head of the Central Sulawesi disaster control taskforce, Frits Abbas, adding that most victims are still buried under debris.<>

Days of heavy rains led to floods hitting Central Sulawesi on Sunday, demolishing hundreds of homes, forcing around 5,000 people to flee and severing transport links.

Entire villages remain cut off in the area, located about 1,600 kilometres northeast of Jakarta (1,000 miles), with torrents of mud and water wiping out access bridges.

In Uweruru village, a landslide hit on Sunday and a second followed after dusk Monday, burying several buildings, including a small mosque being used as a temporary shelter for survivors, district police chief Sri Suharsono told AFP.

"But we have as yet no report on the number of victims buried in this landslide," Suharsono said.

Search and rescue efforts were being hampered as roads into affected areas were blocked, while poor weather made flights and sea travel dangerous, the taskforce's Abbas said.

"We are not even sure whether teams of soldiers and police dispatched to the area have arrived," Abbas said.

The teams left from various towns in the region on Monday.

Flooding in the area, where illegal logging is reported to be rampant, submerged 16 villages in May and also forced thousands to flee to higher ground.

The region has seen repeated massive floods in the past few years. (dar)