JAKARTA: The death toll from the recent flash floods and mudslides in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province has increased to 67, with 20 people still missing, authorities reported on Thursday. The government plans to relocate survivors to safer areas.
The national disaster management agency, BNPB, stated that five of the 25 previously missing individuals were found dead, raising the death toll from 62 on Wednesday. Over 4,000 people have been evacuated to nearby buildings and temporary shelters.
The floods and mudslides damaged at least 521 houses, 31,985 hectares (79,037 acres) of land, including rice fields, 19 bridges, and most main roads. The government intends to relocate survivors whose homes are uninhabitable and those living in disaster-prone areas. BNPB head Suharyanto mentioned that the government is collecting data on the number of survivors needing relocation and is identifying safe areas for new housing. He assured that the government will provide land and build the houses, aiming to complete them within six months. The exact start date for the relocation is still unclear.
The disaster occurred on Saturday evening when heavy rains triggered flash floods, landslides, and cold lava flow, affecting three districts and one town. The cold lava flow, or lahar, originated from Mount Marapi, one of Sumatra’s most active volcanoes, which erupted in December, killing over 20 people, with subsequent eruptions since.
BNPB, along with police and military assistance, will continue searching for the 20 missing persons and clearing main roads over the next seven days. A BNPB video showed extensive damage in Tanah Datar, one of the affected districts, with roads, bridges, and houses covered in logs, rocks, and mud.
