Death toll from floods in Indonesia rises to 19

Floods triggered by days of heavy rains have killed at least 19 people and left 10 others missing on Indonesia's Bali Island and in East Nusa Tenggara province.

 

Gusti Ayu Ketut Wijayanti, spokesperson for the Bali office of the National Search and Rescue Agency, told Xinhua on Thursday that flash floods have killed 13 people and left six missing on the island. Flooding and 18 landslides were also reported in several areas.

 

The country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency reported that rainfall of up to 150 millimeters was recorded in parts of Bali between Tuesday and Wednesday, and warned that heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the week.

 

In East Nusa Tenggara province, floods damaged houses and farmland, forcing residents to evacuate to higher ground.

 

Gasper Losa Manisa, head of the emergency unit at the provincial Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency, said the floods have left six people dead and four missing, adding that rescue operations are underway.

 

Indonesia's rainy season usually runs from November to April, a period prone to floods, landslides, and related diseases. However, climate change has prolonged the rainy season and intensified downpours in recent years, resulting in more severe disasters.

 

Xinhua