At least 27 people were killed after floods and landslides hit the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Heavy rains began in the province last week, causing floods and landslides in four areas, with harsh and severe weather expected until the end of the year, according to Bloomberg News. Sky News.
A landslide in the Deli Serdang area on Wednesday killed seven people and injured 20 others, said Hadi Hyudi, a police spokesman from North Sumatra.
Officials found the rest of the dead in other locations during a search operation that took place over the weekend.
Wahiudi said rescue efforts are underway, and authorities are still searching for missing people, including people trapped in a minibus and other vehicles hit by the mudslide.
“Today, we are focusing our search to find the missing people and clear roads damaged by landslides,” he added, before excavators are deployed.
There were also floods due to rain in Medan, which led to the postponement of voting in some polling stations for the regional elections.
The Indonesian Meteorological Agency has warned residents to expect extreme conditions by the end of 2024, as the “La Nina” phenomenon will lead to increased heavy rainfall across the tropical archipelago.
Indonesia, which includes more than 17,000 islands inhabited by millions in mountainous areas or near floodplains, regularly experiences floods and landslides due to seasonal monsoon rains from October to March.