JAKARTA: At least 15 people have died after landslides and flooding in central Indonesia swept away several houses and damaged roads, the country’s disaster agency said on Saturday.
The disaster struck Luwu regency in South Sulawesi early Friday morning, as landslides swept through the area just after 1:00 am local time, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), confirmed the grim toll, stating that 14 residents lost their lives due to the floods and landslides.
Reports indicate that over 100 houses sustained severe damage, with 42 homes completely swept away by the force of the natural disaster. Furthermore, four roads and a bridge were rendered impassable, exacerbating the challenge of rescue and relief efforts in the affected region.
The scale of the catastrophe prompted the evacuation of more than 100 persons to mosques or the homes of relatives, while authorities mobilized resources to assist over 1,300 affected families, striving to ensure their safe relocation.
In a separate incident within South Sulawesi province, flooding claimed the life of one person and left two others injured on Friday, underscoring the widespread impact of extreme weather events in the region.
The recent calamities add to a series of devastating weather-related incidents in Indonesia, with flash floods and landslides on Sumatra island in March resulting in the loss of at least 30 lives, with several persons still unaccounted for. Similarly, a landslide and flooding near Lake Toba on Sumatra in December claimed the lives of at least two persons, highlighting the recurring threat posed by natural disasters during the country’s rainy season.
Experts attribute the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events in Indonesia to climate change.
