JAKARTA: At least 19 people have lost their lives in West Sumatra due to floods and landslides, and two injured and seven others still missing.
According to the National Board of Disaster Management (BNPB), the Pesisir Selatan district is the hardest hit, with 16 fatalities and seven people missing, and 25,794 families affected.
Its spokesperson, Abdul Muhari, said in a statement that 800 families have been affected in the Padang Pariaman district, resulting in three deaths and two injuries.
Flooding in Padang, West Sumatra’s capital, has subsided since Saturday, allowing residents and authorities, including the Fire and Rescue Department, to begin clean-up work.
The head of the local disaster agency, Hendri Zulviton, reported that heavy rainfall upstream had caused flooding on Thursday and Friday, affecting 10,150 families as rivers overflowed.
Besides flooding, there were six landslides, 19 trees knocked down by strong winds, and a coastal erosion incident threatening two houses, he added.
Overall, the disasters in West Sumatra have caused significant damage, affecting 37,265 houses and damaging 666 houses, with three of them swept away and 26 bridges damaged.
Forty-five places of worship are submerged, and 25 schools affected, while 13 road sections are impacted. – Bernama
