Flash floods that struck two provinces in Indonesia this week have killed at least 19 people, according to disaster mitigation officials, with operations under way to search for the missing.
Torrential rains beginning on Monday caused flooding and landslides on the tourist island of Bali and in East Nusa Tenggara province.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered his aides to accelerate the handling of the aftermath of the deadly flooding, locate the missing and deliver basic needs to displaced residents, Antara state news agency reported on Thursday.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, BNPB, reported that 400 to 600 personnel from various institutions had been deployed to search for the missing and clear debris.
Rain caused rivers to burst their banks, tearing through nine cities and districts on Bali. Mud, rocks and trees tumbled onto mountainside hamlets and rising rivers submerged at least 120 neighbourhoods, resulting in a dozen landslides in several places, BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement.
Muhari said on Thursday that the death toll in Bali had risen to 14 from nine.
Most deaths occurred when people were swept away after rivers burst their banks, he said. At least two people remain missing there.
Abdul added that more than 500 people have been evacuated to schools and mosques.
I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara, mayor of Bali’s capital city of Denpasar, declared an emergency status in response to the disaster, to ensure the delivery of services, Antara reported.
As river levels returned to normal on Thursday, people in Denpasar left crammed emergency shelters.
They found streets covered in mud and debris, cars lying upside down in parks or piled up in narrow alleys, and pavements strewn with sandals, pots and pans and old photographs.
Authorities took advantage of the receding waters to begin clearing away mud and removing piles of wet rubbish from the streets, and electricity was restored to tens of thousands of residences and businesses.
Heavy seasonal rain between September and March frequently causes flooding and landslides in Indonesia.
Climate change has also affected storm patterns, including the length and severity of the season, leading to heavier rain, flash flooding and stronger wind gusts.
In March, floods and landslides on Java island killed three people and left five others missing after heavy rain inundated two dozen towns.
In January, at least 25 people were killed when floods and landslides hit a town in Central Java.
