Flash floods leave nine dead, 21 missing in northern Indonesia

Flash floods leave nine dead, 21 missing in northern Indonesia

2011-03-12 04:59:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesian authorities on Friday informed that flash floods in northern Indonesia have killed nine people and left 21 missing, the Antara news agency reported.

Since Wednesday, incessant heavy rains have struck a mountainous area in Tangse sub district, Pidie District in Aceh Province. Nine people were killed and hundreds of houses swept away as of Thursday.

The Aceh disaster mitigation office informed that nine bodies were found while 21 people are still missing. Relief efforts are ongoing in the flood-affected villages. On Friday, Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf arrived to the region to asses damages.

Tangse is located around 50 kilometers from Sigli town, the capital of Pidie District, and 170 kilometers from the provincial capital Banda Aceh. The seven flood-affected villages are Blang Pandak, Blang Dalam, Layan, Peunalom 1, Peunalom 2, Kuala Krueng, and Krueng Meriam.

In February, several houses were flooded due to heavy rains that fell in Agam District in West Sumatra. In addition, the Batang Antokan River located in Pasa Durian began to overflow over the weekend.

Tens of houses were inundated, the village residents were forced to evacuate to nearby schools and mosques. In the northern Sumatra Island of Aceh Darussalam Province, seven villages were affected by flash floods triggered by heavy rains that have struck the region as well.

Earlier that month, at least 475 houses were submerged due to the severe flooding that hit the Indonesian Island province of Bali. The extreme weather conditions in the region are expected to last until April 2011.

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