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CatastropheIndonesia

Indonesia: Flash flooding kills at least 10 on Java island

December 9, 2024

Flash floods and landslides that hit hilly villages on Indonesia's main island of Java have killed at least 10 people.

https://p.dw.com/p/4nu4J
Rescuers search for victims at the site of a landslide in Cisarakan village
Landslides following heavy rainfall on Indonesia's Java island left several dead Image: Rangga Firmansyah/Xinhua/picture alliance

At least 10 people are known to have died and at least two more are missing after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall affected hilly villages on Indonesia's main island of Java.

The Disaster Countermeasure National Agency (BNPB) said rescuers were looking for those missing as of Monday.

The floods and landslides were triggered by torrential rain in the Sukabumi district of West Java province last week. Heavy rainfall caused several rivers to burst their banks.

A damaged bridge in Sukabumi Regency
Days of heavy rain on the Indonesian island of Java triggered deadly floodingImage: Rangga Firmansyah/Xinhua/picture alliance

More than 170 villages were affected, and more than 3,000 people were evacuated. Bridges, roads and houses were destroyed across the region.

Yudi Hariyanto, who heads a rescue command post in Sukabumi, said rescuers had recovered at least ten bodies from the villages of Tegalbuleud, Simpenan and Ciemas. Three of those bodies were those of children. 

Videos circulating on social media showed roads turning into murky brown rivers, with floodwaters having uprooted trees.

Heavy rains from October to March often cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia.

Last month, a landslide and flash floods triggered by heavy downpours hit Indonesia's North Sumatra province, leaving 20 dead and two missing. A landslide in the region also hit a tourist bus that killed nine people.

tg/rm (AP, AFP)