15 dead in Indonesia flash flood

At least 15 people were killed in a flash flood in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province, an official said Tuesday.

The flood also left an unknown number of people missing.

“Fifteen are reported dead and we are still looking for more casualties since access to many locations is still blocked by the mud,” North Luwu district official Indah Putri Indriani said.

She said the flooding, that began on Monday evening and was triggered by heavy rains, caused three rivers to overflow.

Mud and other materials carried by the floodwaters covered roads and thousands of houses, she said.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Raditya Jati said the flood affected more than 4,000 residents of six sub districts in North Luwu.

“The provincial road is covered in mud and that blocks access to the main command post and the affected areas,” Jati said.

Heavy rains cause frequent landslides and flash floods in Indonesia, where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near flood plains.