Heavy rain on Monday triggered the floods on the island of Siau, part of the Siau Tagulandang Biaro region, according to Nuriadin Gumeleng, spokesperson for the local rescue agency, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Sixteen rescuers have been deployed to locate four people still missing, Gumeleng told Reuters, noting that 18 others have been injured. “We continue to collect data from local residents in case there are more missing people,” he said.
Main roads in the affected areas remain blocked by rocks, mud, and debris, while excavators have been deployed to clear them. At least 444 people have been evacuated to local schools and churches, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.
The floods destroyed hundreds of houses and government buildings, North Sulawesi Governor Yulius Selvanus said.
The flash floods coincide with the peak of the wet season on Sulawesi island, as forecasted by Indonesia’s weather agency. The islands of Java, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua are expected to experience their wet season at its height in January and February, increasing the risk of further floods. Rainfall in other regions, including Sumatra and Borneo, peaked in November and December last year.
