Flood death toll rises, search underway


After the storm: A man inspecting the damage following a flood in Badung, Bali. — AP

The death toll from the flooding that struck two islands, inclu­ding tourist hotspot Bali, rose to 23, officials said, with five other people still missing.

Torrential rain late Tuesday triggered floods and landslides across Bali, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said, adding four more people have been found dead and two others are unaccounted for.

The additional deaths come on top of 14 already reported on Bali and five on the island of Flores.

BNPB chief Suharyanto, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name, said the agency had distributed aid including food, clothes and beds.

He estimated losses from the disaster to have reached around 25 billion rupiah (RM6.4mil).

Flash flooding on Monday struck the Nagekeo district of Flores island, where authorities’ efforts to search three missing victims have been hampered by debris.

The annual monsoon season in Indonesia, typically between November and April, often brings landslides, flash floods and water-borne diseases.

Climate change has affected storm patterns, including the length and severity of the season.

Floods and landslides on Java island in March killed three people and left five others missing after heavy rain inundated two dozen towns.

In January, at least 25 people were killed when floods and landslides hit a town in Central Java. — AFP

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