14 Killed in Indonesia Amid Floods

At least 14 people have died after powerful flash floods swept through parts of North Sulawesi in Indonesia, as rescue teams continue searching for those still missing.

Local rescue authorities said the flooding was triggered by intense rainfall early on Monday, hitting Siau Island in the Siau Tagulandang Biaro district. Fast-moving floodwaters carried away residents, leaving widespread destruction across affected communities.

According to the regional search and rescue agency, 16 rescue workers have been deployed to locate four people who remain unaccounted for. At least 18 others have been injured, while officials continue collecting information from local residents in case additional missing persons are identified.

Major roads in the affected areas remain buried under rocks, debris, and thick mud, severely hampering access and recovery efforts. Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said at least 444 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters, including schools and churches, as authorities work to clear blocked roads using heavy machinery.

North Sulawesi Governor Julius Selvanus confirmed that the floods also destroyed hundreds of homes and damaged several government buildings, deepening the humanitarian impact of the disaster.

The floods occurred at the height of the rainy season in Sulawesi, in line with forecasts from Indonesia’s meteorological agency. The agency warned that Java, Sulawesi, the Maluku Islands, and Papua are expected to experience peak rainfall during January and February, significantly increasing the risk of flooding and landslides.

In other parts of Indonesia, including Sumatra and Borneo, rainfall peaked in November and December last year. In November, severe flooding and landslides triggered by a cyclone killed more than 1,000 people in Sumatra, with hundreds still missing.

Indonesia, an archipelago prone to extreme weather, frequently faces deadly floods during the monsoon season, highlighting growing concerns over disaster preparedness and climate-related risks across the region.