Flash floods kill at least 30 in Indonesia

Thursday, 16 July 2020 19:55

By REUTERS

Residents commute by boat through a flooded road in Dayeuhkolot in Indonesia's West Java province after heavy rains flooded the Citarum river. TIMUR MATAHARI / AFP

Flash floods and landslides killed at least 30 people on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and left hundreds displaced, authorities said on Thursday.

Fifteen people remain missing, Indonesia search rescue agency spokesman Yusuf Latif said in a statement.

The flash floods struck the North Luwu district of South Sulawesi province after heavy rain on Monday caused three nearby rivers to burst. More than 4,000 residents were affected.

Dramatic TV footage showed dozens of houses partially submerged by thick mud up to their roofs. Indonesia frequently suffers from floods and landslides, particularly during the rainy season, though the situation is often made worse by the cutting down of forests.

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