At least 16 people were dead and another 23 missing after heavy rains in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province swelled rivers and sent floodwaters, mud and debris across roads and into thousands of homes.
The flooding began on Monday evening and was triggered by heavy rains that caused three rivers to overflow, North Luwu district official Indah Putri Indriani said.
The flood affected more than 4,000 residents of six subdistricts in North Luwu.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Raditya Jati confirmed the deaths and added: “The provincial road is covered in mud and that blocks access to the main command post and the affected areas.”
Heavy rains cause frequent landslides and flash floods in Indonesia, where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near flood plains.
