Rescue effort continues after deadly Indonesian floods
At least six people have been killed on the main island of Java.
At least six people have been killed and three others are missing after flash floods from torrential rains struck Indonesia’s main island of Java.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said rivers on the slopes of Mount Arjuno overflowed their banks on Thursday and their muddy waters inundated five hamlets in Kota Batu, a city in East Java province.
It said 15 people were swept away and six were later rescued.
Rescuers retrieved a body near Brantas river basin late on Thursday and five more bodies were found on Friday, officials said. Efforts are ongoing to find the three missing people.
Relief efforts were hampered by blocked roads covered with thick mud and debris.
Authorities are beginning to evacuate people in affected areas to government shelters, a spokesman said.
Severe flooding was also reported in other areas of the country but no casualties were reported.
The latest major floods were in April, when Tropical Cyclone Seroja triggered landslides and flooding that killed at least 183 people on Indonesia’s side of the Island of Timor, which the country shares with East Timor.
Another 42 people were found dead on East Timor’s side of the island.
The cyclone damaged thousands of homes and thousands of people were displaced.
