On March 6, 2023, people inspect the damage in a landslide-affected village in Natuna, Indonesia’s Riau province. HANDOUT / AFP
Eleven people died and 50 others were missing Monday, March 6 after torrential rains and landslides on one of the most remote islands of the Indonesian archipelago, said the national agency in charge of natural disasters.
The disaster occurred on the Riau Islands, spokesman for the National Agency for the Fight against Natural Disasters, Abdul Muhari, told a local television channel.
“The weather is unpredictable”
Images provided by the national agency show that mud and debris caused by the landslide have completely covered the houses that were near the edge of a cliff on the island of Serasan between Borneo and mainland Malaysia. The communication network is cut in the disaster area, making it difficult to communicate the latest information, added Junainah, spokesperson for the Riau Islands natural disaster agency.
“The weather is unpredictable. The wind is strong and the waves are currently highsaid the spokesperson, who like many Indonesians has only one name. Access to this isolated island will also be difficult for relief workers, Muhari added. “Normally it takes five hours by boat“, did he declare. “Tomorrow, the National Agency for the Fight against Natural Disasters will deploy a helicopter to speed up the transport of logistical means.»
At least 67 victims
During the rainy season, Indonesia is prone to landslides, aggravated in some places by deforestation, and prolonged torrential rains. These caused flooding in different regions of the archipelago. In the Indonesian part of Borneo, more than 17,000 houses have been flooded, disrupting the daily lives of residents of Banjar district for a month.
Neighboring Malaysia also suffered torrential rains, which were also followed by floods. At least four people died and nearly 41,000 were evacuated last week. In 2020, Indonesia’s capital Jakarta and nearby towns experienced one of the deadliest floods in years after downpours triggered landslides. At least 67 people died in this disaster.
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