Indonesia flood, landslide death toll hits 70

Floods and landslides that battered Indonesia's Sulawesi island have killed at least 70 people, authorities said Tuesday, as aerial footage underscored the scale of the disaster with whole villages wiped off the map.

Lashed by heavy rain, rivers swelled and burst their banks, inundating dozens of communities across 12 districts as well as parts of the provincial capital Makassar.

The bodies of 70 victims have been found, while six are still missing, Syamsibar, head of South Sulawesi's disaster mitigation agency, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP.

Drone footage showed landslides had buried Pattallikang village in hard-hit Gowa district, with only a few buildings - including a mosque - visible after an avalanche of mud and rock cascaded down a nearby hillside.

Nearly 9,500 people have been displaced by the extreme weather, and hundreds of houses, government buildings, schools and bridges have been damaged, the disaster mitigation agency said Monday.

Authorities say floodwaters are receding but a state of emergency will remain in place until February 6, while rescuers look for those still missing and help repair damaged infrastructure.

Photos: Reuters

Landslides and floods are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.

Indonesia floods, landslides death toll climbs to 59

Floods and landslides in Indonesia have now killed at least 59 people, the government said Friday, after heavy rain pounded Sulawesi island and forced thousands to flee their homes.

"I've never seen something this bad - this is the worst," Syamsibar, head of South Sulawesi disaster mitigation agency, told AFP, adding that 25 people were still missing.

Lashed by the heavy rain, rivers swelled and burst their banks, inundating dozens of communities in 11 districts of southern Sulawesi. Parts of the provincial capital Makassar have also been affected.

Gowa district suffered the heaviest casualties, with 44 people found dead, said Syamsibar, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Some 3,400 people have been evacuated from their homes and given refuge in schools, mosques and tents.

Rescuers and residents waded through streets filled with waist-deep water, some carrying their possessions above their heads.

"I couldn't save all my belongings, my house was swept away," Makassar resident Ayu Fiskarina told AFP.

Authorities say floodwaters are receding but the impact of the disaster has ranged far and wide, damaging houses, government buildings, schools and bridges.

The death toll stood at 30 on Thursday evening.

Photos: AP

Landslides and floods are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.

In October, flash floods and landslides killed at least 22 people in several districts across Sumatra island.

Indonesia flood, landslide death toll rises to 30

The death toll from flash floods and landslides in Indonesia has risen to 30, as rescuers raced to find two dozen still missing, the disaster agency said Thursday.

Thousands have been evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and strong winds pounded the southern part of Sulawesi island, swelling rivers that burst their banks and inundating dozens of communities in nine southern districts.

Parts of the provincial capital Makassar have also been affected.

Rescuers and residents waded through streets filled with waist-deep water, some carrying their belongings above their heads.

"We urge people to always be aware of the possibility of floods and landslides," said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Photos: AFP

Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rain lashes the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.

In October, flash floods and landslides killed at least 22 people in several districts across Sumatra island.

On Thursday, the disaster agency said that while flooding in South Sulawesi province was receding "the search and evacuation process is still ongoing".

The death toll had stood at 26 on Thursday morning.

More than 3,000 people have been evacuated and at least 46 are being treated at local hospitals and health clinics.

The floods also damaged houses, government buildings, schools and bridges.

Death toll from Indonesian floods and landslides rises to 26

The governor of an Indonesian province inundated by torrential rains says the death toll from flooding and landslides has risen to 26.

South Sulawesi Gov. Nurdin Abdullah said in a TV interview Thursday that displaced people are still being evacuated.

Nine districts in the province including the capital Makassar have been affected by flooding that began late Tuesday, forcing thousands to flee their homes.

Adnan Purichta Ichsann, the chief of Gowa district near Makassar, has said operators of the Bili Bili rock-fill embankment dam were forced to release water on Tuesday, which contributed to flooding but avoided a worse disaster.

Adbullah told local media that siltation of the dam and deforestation of the upstream watershed had worsened the floods.

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