Flash floods and landslides killed as many as 35 people in Indonesia's Central Java province over the weekend. Officials said on Sunday more than 25 people were missing even as residents were evacuating to safer areas as torrential rains damaged thousands of homes.
The region affected by the flooding is one of the most densely populated parts of the country.
"Heavy rain has caused floods and landslides in 16 regencies in Central Java," Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency, said, Reuters reported.
"Rescue teams from the military, police, NGOs and volunteers, are contributing to the handling of the emergency and the search continues for those still missing," he added
"The number of casualties from floods and landslides in central Java is 35 people dead, 25 people missing and 14 injured," said disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho yesterday, according to TODAY.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a tweet the government would offer all assistance to the victims.
"Floods, landslides (have) hit a few districts. Sad over the loss of lives in the landslides in Jateng (Central Java). We move together to help (the victims)," he wrote on his Twitter account in Bahasa Indonesia.
Hours of heavy rain also triggered landslides that buried three houses and destroyed two more in the village of Dukuh Pohkumbang in Central Java.
