JAKARTA, Sept 11 (NNN-ANTARA) – Floods triggered by days of heavy rains have killed at least 19 people, and left 10 others missing, on Indonesia’s Bali Island and in East Nusa Tenggara province.
Gusti Ayu Ketut Wijayanti, spokesperson for the Bali office of the National Search and Rescue Agency, said today that, flash floods have killed 13 people and left six missing on the island. Flooding and 18 landslides were also reported in several other areas.
The country’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency reported that, rainfall of up to 150 millimetres was recorded in parts of Bali, between Tuesday and yesterday, and warned that heavy rain is expected to continue throughout the week.
In East Nusa Tenggara province, floods damaged houses and farmland, forcing residents to evacuate to higher ground.
Gasper Losa Manisa, head of the emergency unit at the provincial Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency, said, the floods have left six people dead and four missing, adding that, rescue operations are underway.
Indonesia’s rainy season usually runs from Nov to Apr, a period prone to floods, landslides, and related diseases. However, climate change has prolonged the rainy season and intensified downpours in recent years, resulting in more severe disasters.– NNN-ANTARA
