
Indonesian rescuers have recovered at least 16 bodies following devastating flash floods and landslides that ravaged villages in Central Java. Triggered by torrential rains on Monday, the disaster has also left nine people missing and displaced countless others, as per officials.
The calamity struck nine villages in Pekalongan regency, where rivers burst their banks under the relentless downpour. As per officials, the surging waters carried a torrent of mud, rocks, and uprooted trees that swept through the hilly hamlets, causing widespread destruction.
Bergas Catursasi, head of the local Disaster Management Agency, said torrential rains have caused rivers to burst their banks, tearing through nine villages in Pekalongan regency of Central Java province, as mud, rocks and trees tumbled down mountainside hamlets. He said rescue workers by Tuesday pulled out at least 16 bodies in the worst-hit village of Petungkriyono, and rescuers are searching for nine villagers who are reportedly still missing. Ten injured people managed to escape and were rushed to nearby hospitals, Catursari said.
Seasonal rain from about October to March frequently causes flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile floodplains.
Java reels under flash floods
Last month, Indonesian rescuers had recovered 10 bodies that were swept away in flash floods or buried under tons of mud and rocks that hit hilly villages on Java island. As per officials, landslides, flash floods and strong winds had devastated 172 villages and forced more than 3,000 people to flee to temporary government shelters. The disasters also destroyed 31 bridges, 81 roads and 539 hectares (1,332 acres) of rice fields, while 1,170 houses were flooded up to the roof. Extreme weather has also damaged more than 3,300 other houses and buildings, the local Disaster Management Agency said.
(With PTI inputs)
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