Death toll from Indonesia’s flash floods rises to 13

JAKARTA, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) — At least 13 people were killed, two others injured and several missing after flash floods and landslides damaged homes and infrastructure in Indonesia’s eastern North Maluku province on Sunday, according to disaster agency officials.
Several houses and roads were damaged in Ternate city due to the natural disaster, said Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the national disaster management and mitigation agency.
Evacuations of affected individuals were underway, with quick response personnel from the agency and other parties involved. The agency was also conducting a risk assessment of the disaster, Muhari said in a text message.
Fehby Alting, head of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Office of North Maluku province, told Xinhua that four heavy machines had been deployed to assist in the search and rescue mission.
“Search efforts for the missing are ongoing,” Alting said.
Heavy downpours, which began on Saturday, triggered flash floods and landslides in Ternate city, he added. ■