34 Dead In Indonesia Floods, 16 Missing
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published May 12, 2024 | 04:30 PM
Tanah Datar, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th May, 2024) At least 34 people have died and 16 more were missing after flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano hit western Indonesia, a local disaster official said Sunday.
Hours of heavy rain caused flooding in two districts in West Sumatra province on Saturday evening and sent sweeping ash and large rocks down Mount Marapi, the most active volcano on the archipelago's Sumatra island.
"Until now our data shows that 34 people died: 16 in Agam and 18 in Tanah Datar. At least 18 others are injured. We are also still searching for 16 other people," West Sumatra disaster agency spokesman Ilham Wahab told AFP.
He said the search effort involved local rescuers, police, soldiers and volunteers.
Agam and Tanah Datar districts were hit with flash floods and cold lava flow at around 10:30 pm (1530 GMT) on Saturday, according to Basarnas search and rescue agency.
Cold lava, also known as lahar, is volcanic material like ash, sand and pebbles carried down a volcano's slopes by rain.
Earlier, Basarnas said 12 people had died including several children.
Ilham said Sunday that authorities were still receiving reports of missing people from relatives.
He said he could not give a figure of the number of people evacuated from the area as the search and rescue effort was still focused on the victims and the missing.
- Mosques, houses damaged -
In the Tanah Datar district, several mosques and a public pool were damaged in the area with large rocks and logs scattered on the ground, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
In Lembah Anai, a popular tourist spot with a waterfall in Tanah Datar, a road connecting the cities of Padang and Bukittinggi was severely damaged and access for cars was cut off.
At a nearby river, two trucks had been swept away by the flooding and strong river currents, the journalist said.
In Agam, dozens of homes and public facilities were damaged, the district's disaster agency chief Budi Perwira Negara told AFP.
Nine bodies including those of a three-year-old and eight-year-old were identified earlier on Sunday, head of the local rescue agency Abdul Malik said in a statement.
Authorities dispatched a team of rescuers and rubber boats to look for the missing victims and to transport people to shelters.
The local government set up evacuation centres and emergency posts in several areas of Agam and Tanah Datar districts.
Indonesia is prone to landslides and floods during the rainy season.
In March at least 26 people had been found dead after landslides and floods hit West Sumatra.
In 2022, about 24,000 people were evacuated and two children killed in floods on Sumatra island, with environmental campaigners blaming deforestation caused by logging for worsening the disaster.
Trees act as natural defences against floods, slowing the rate at which water runs down hills and into rivers.
Marapi is one of Indonesia's most active volcanos.
In December, it erupted and spewed an ash tower 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) into the sky, taller than the volcano itself.
At least 24 climbers, most of them university students, died in the eruption.
str-dsa/jfx/sco
Related Topics
Recent Stories
PTI leaders' interim bail extended in vandalism case
Vast cooperation opportunities exist between KP, Chinese provinces: LG Minister
'Critical' lack of clean water stalks flood-hit Afghanistan
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi highlights significance of indu ..
Operation in Cantt bazar conducted
PM witnesses signing of MoUs to expand Pak-China cooperation
US trade gap widens to largest in 18 months
Govt. strategy ensured transparency in wheat procurement process: Khyber Pakhtun ..
Judge Nasir Javed Rana relinquishes his charge
Authorities directed to ensure implementation of new prices of Roti & Naan
Pakistan wins non-permanent seat on UN Security Council with big majority in UNG ..
PM visit to push forward Pak-China all-weather strategic cooperative partnership ..
More Stories From World
-
'Critical' lack of clean water stalks flood-hit Afghanistan
30 minutes ago -
Pakistan wins non-permanent seat on UN Security Council with big majority in UNGA vote
50 minutes ago -
PM witnesses signing of MoUs to expand Pak-China cooperation
1 hour ago -
Premier League clubs vote to retain VAR
54 minutes ago -
Spain joins S. Africa's Gaza case at UN top court
1 hour ago -
Biden warns democracy 'at risk' as leaders mark D-Day
2 hours ago
-
Premier League clubs vote to retain VAR
3 hours ago -
UNRWA chief says Israel hit Gaza school 'without prior warning'
3 hours ago -
Egypt gets 'positive signs' from Hamas on Gaza truce: report
3 hours ago -
PM Shehbaz's ongoing visit proves to be milestone in development of Pak-China relations: Ahsan Iqbal
2 hours ago -
SpaceX's megarocket Starship launches on fourth test flight
3 hours ago -
ECB starts cutting rates, but warns on inflation
2 hours ago