A tragic incident unfolded in Indonesia's Sulawesi island as a flood and a landslide wreaked havoc, claiming the lives of at least 14 individuals, according to officials on Saturday.
The relentless rain that pounded the region since Thursday triggered a landslide in Luwu district in South Sulawesi province, as reported by local rescue chief Mexianus Bekabel.
The floods, reaching heights of up to 3 meters (10 feet), have impacted 13 sub-districts, submerging the area in water and mud. Over 1,000 houses have been affected, with 42 of them being swept off their foundations.
Efforts are underway by a search and rescue team to evacuate residents using rubber boats and other vehicles. More than 100 individuals have been relocated to mosques or the homes of relatives outside the affected region, mentioned National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari on Saturday.
Indonesia frequently experiences landslides and floods during seasonal downpours, given its geography as a chain of 17,000 islands where a significant population resides in mountainous regions or fertile floodplains.
Back in March, torrential rains led to flash floods and a landslide on Indonesia's Sumatra island, resulting in the loss of at least 19 lives and leaving 7 individuals unaccounted for, as per official reports. Rescue teams retrieved bodies from the most severely impacted village of Koto XI Tarusan and from two adjacent villages, as highlighted by National Disaster Management Agency's spokesperson Doni Yusrizal. Tragically, some individuals remain missing.
Reports indicate that a total of 46,000 individuals sought refuge in a temporary government shelter following a devastating flood and landslide. The natural disaster resulted in the burial of 14 houses, while 20,000 other houses were submerged up to their roofs.
During the year 2023, a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall claimed the lives of at least 11 individuals and left numerous others unaccounted for on an island located in the remote Natuna regency of Indonesia. Massive amounts of mud cascaded down from the surrounding hills, engulfing houses in Serasan village in Natuna. Rescue teams managed to recover 11 bodies, yet officials express concerns that the fatality count may escalate, as stated by Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
