Flash floods in Indonesia's North Sulawesi kill 14, four still missing
At least 14 people were killed after being swept away by flash floods in Indonesia's North Sulawesi, an official said on Tuesday, as the search for the missing continued, WAM reports.
Heavy rain early on Monday triggered flash floods on the island of Siau, located in the region of Siau Tagulandang Biaro, said Nuriadin Gumeleng, a spokesperson for the local rescue agency.
Sixteen rescuers have been deployed to search for four people who remain missing on Tuesday, Gumeleng said, adding that 18 people had been injured so far.
At least 444 people have been evacuated to local schools and churches after the flash floods, the country disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement.
Indonesia’s weather agency has warned that the islands of Java, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua are expected to experience peak wet-season conditions during January and February this year, increasing the risk of flooding.
It was reported earlier, heavy rains and snowfall in Afghanistan ended a prolonged dry spell but triggered flash floods in several areas, killing at least 17 people and injuring 11 others.
