Indonesia

Indonesia's Sumatra island faced tragedy as torrential rains triggered flash floods and a landslide, claiming at least 10 lives and leaving 10 individuals missing, according to officials on Saturday (March 9).

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Late Friday, a torrent of mud, rocks, and uprooted trees cascaded down a mountain, reaching a river that overflowed and surged through villages in the Pesisir Selatan district of West Sumatra province, as reported by Doni Yusrizal, the head of the local disaster management agency.

Rescuers recovered seven bodies in the severely impacted village of Koto XI Tarusan, along with two others in neighbouring villages, stated National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Yusrizal. The search continues for the 10 still missing.

Yusrizal mentioned that 46,000 people sought refuge in a temporary government shelter after the flood and landslide buried 14 houses, with an additional 20,000 houses flooded up to the roof.

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"Relief efforts for the dead and missing were hampered by power outages, blocked roads covered in thick mud and debris," Yusrizal explained.

Also read: Indonesia flash floods kill 44

Indonesia frequently experiences landslides and flash floods due to heavy rains, with millions of people residing in mountainous areas or near floodplains.

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This incident is not the first occurrence of landslides and flash floods in Indonesia in recent years. In 2023, torrential rain triggered a landslide that claimed at least 11 lives and left numerous others missing on an island in the remote Natuna regency.

Also read: 24 killed in flash floods, homes damaged in Indonesia

Tonnes of mud fell from surrounding hills onto houses in Serasan village, and rescuers recovered 11 bodies, with fears of the death toll rising, according to National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari.

(With inputs from agencies)