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INDONESIA-FLOOD-LANDSLIDE
At least 10 dead in Indonesia floods and landslides
MANDAILING NATAL, Indonesia, Oct 13, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – At least ten people
have died and as many are missing after heavy rain unleashed flash floods and
landslides in western Indonesia, an official said Saturday.
Heavy downpours since Wednesday triggered flooding and landslides that hit
some 24 villages in Mandailing Natal district, North Sumatra province.
At least ten people were confirmed killed while another ten are missing at
an Islamic boarding school that was buried by the landslides, the head of
North Sumatra disaster agency Riadil Lubis said.
“The disaster and search and rescue agency have gone to the district but
have been hampered by the landslides in several areas,” Riadil Lubis told
AFP.
Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia, a vast tropical
archipelago prone to natural disasters and torrential downpours.
In February, 12 people died when an avalanche of mud and rock cascaded
down a steep slope in central Java, Indonesia’s main island.
In June 2016, nearly 50 people died when heavy downpours sent torrents of
water, mud and rock into villages also in Central Java province.
BSS/AFP/SSS/1057 hrs