Indonesia: Devastating floods claim 43 lives in West Sumatra, 15 still missing

• Torrential rain on Saturday evening triggered the disaster.
• The National Disaster and Management Agency BNPB reported damage to almost 200 houses.
• Video footage showed roads and rice fields submerged in mud and the wreckage of damaged homes and buildings.

Authorities reported that flash floods and mudslides in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province claimed the lives of at least 43 people over the weekend, with a search ongoing for 15 missing individuals, as announced on Monday.

Abdul Malik, chief of the provincial rescue team, stated that torrential rain on Saturday evening prompted flash floods, landslides, and cold lava flow — a mixture of volcanic ash, rock debris, and water — in three districts in West Sumatra province.

The cold lava flow, a lahar in Indonesia, originated from Mount Marapi, one of Sumatra’s most active volcanoes.

Abdul Malik stated heavy rain-washed materials such as ash and large rocks from the Marapi volcano. He later confirmed in a statement that 43 people had died and 15 remained missing.

“Cold lava flow and flash floods have always been threats to us recently. But the problem is, it always happens late at night until dawn,” he said.

Abdul stated that around 400 personnel, including rescuers, police, and military, deployed on Monday to search for the missing people, with assistance from at least eight excavators and drones.

In a statement, the National Disaster and Management Agency BNPB reported that damage affected almost 200 houses, and 72 hectares (178 acres) of land, including rice fields. At least 159 people from the Agam district were evacuated to nearby schools.

Footage shared by BNPB depicted roads and rice fields submerged in mud. The video also revealed the wreckage of damaged homes and buildings, while logs and large rocks from the floods encroached upon settlements.

Eko Widodo, a 43-year-old survivor, said: “The flooding was sudden and the river became blocked which resulted in the flow of water everywhere and it was out of control.”

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