Heavy rainfall on the Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered floods and landslides on Saturday, resulting in the death of at least 9 individuals and leaving 10 others missing.
Dony Yusrizal, the head of the local disaster management agency, reported that a deluge of mud, rocks, and uprooted trees cascaded from a mountain late on Friday, reaching a river whose banks overflowed, submerging mountain villages in the South Pesisir area of West Sumatra province.
Yusrizal, speaking for the national disaster management agency, stated that rescue teams recovered seven bodies in the severely affected village of Koto Tarusan and two more in neighboring villages, with ten individuals still unaccounted for.
He mentioned that 46,000 people sought refuge in temporary government shelters after floods and landslides buried 14 homes, while water inundated 20,000 homes up to their roofs.
Yusrizal highlighted that relief efforts are hindered by power outages and blocked roads covered in thick mud and debris.
Indonesia frequently experiences landslides and flooding due to heavy rains, with millions of people living in mountainous areas or near riverbanks at risk.
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