At least 40 people have been killed in landslides triggered by heavy rains on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores, and dozens more are still missing, officials said on Saturday. Entire houses were washed away by flash floods, and authorities said rescue teams had still not been able to reach some of the affected areas.
Around 80 people were reported missing and presumed dead buried by landslides and washed away by flash floods. However, only 40 bodies were recovered as of Saturday evening.
"Of 73 people reported (missing), we have recovered 40 bodies. Four people were found alive and we are still searching for 29 more people," district police chief Santoso Ginting said on MetroTV. The injured were being treated in the local sub-district health centre. No further details were available on their condition.