The death toll from floods and cold lava flows that hit communities on the island of Sumatra in western Indonesia has risen to 41, with 17 people still missing.
The tragedy occurred on Saturday at around 22:30 in Agam and Tanah Datar districts in western Sumatra after hours of torrential rains, which caused flash floods and cold lava flows from the nearby Marapi volcano.
Three people are missing in Agam and 14 in Tanah Datar, which suffered the heaviest hits and has hundreds of thousands of residents, according to Mr. Ilham.
He was unable to estimate how many residents have been rushed from their homes, as he explained that authorities are encouraging citizens “to go to the residences of their relatives who are (in) safer (locations)”.
The term “cold lava” refers to magmas that form volcanic outcrops, especially ash and rock. When heavy rains occur, these materials sometimes turn into masses that descend with destructive momentum from the crater.
Roads turned into rivers of mud, while the waters entered houses and swept vehicles into a nearby river.
The national disaster management agency (BNPB) said 84 houses, 16 bridges, two mosques and 20 rice paddies were damaged in Tanah Datar, which has a population of about 370,000.
Landslides and floods often hit Indonesia during the rainy season. In March, 26 people died due to landslides and floods in West Sumatra.
In 2022, some 24,000 residents were rushed from their homes and two children died in floods in Sumatra, where the rains are often made more deadly by deforestation, environmentalists say.
Mount Marapi (“mountain of fire”, in local language) is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. In December, a volcanic eruption claimed the lives of 24 people, mostly students.
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