Indonesia's death toll rises to 67 from floods, 20 still missing
67 people have died and 20 are still missing as a result of the floods in Indonesia.
Nearly every major road was damaged, and at least 521 houses were destroyed as well as 31,985 hectares of land, 19 bridges, and rice fields.
The death toll from the flash floods and mud slides that occurred over the weekend in Indonesia's West Sumatra province has reached 67, with 20 people still missing. On Thursday, authorities announced that the government will be relocating survivors to safer areas.
The death toll increased from 62 reported on Wednesday to five of the twenty-five individuals who had been reported missing, according to a statement from the national disaster management agency BNPB. There has been an evacuation of over 4,000 people to nearby buildings and makeshift shelters.
The destruction included 521 homes, 79,037 acres of land (including rice fields), 19 bridges, and the majority of major roadways.
Suharyanto, head of the BNPB, said in a statement that the government intends to relocate survivors whose homes are uninhabitable and those residing in danger zones.
The West Sumatra provincial government and BNPB are currently collecting data to determine the number of survivors who will need to be relocated and are also looking for secure locations to construct the new homes.
"The government will provide the land and build the houses," Suharyanto announced, announcing that the new homes would be completed in six months.
The start time of the relocation is still unknown.
A mud-like mixture of volcanic ash, rock debris, and water, the cold lava flow, flash floods, and landslides were unleashed by the heavy rains that hit the area on Saturday evening. One town and three districts are impacted.
The frigid lahar, as it is called in Indonesia, originated from Mount Marapi, which is one of the most active volcanoes on the island of Sumatra. More than 20 people were killed in its December eruption, and subsequent eruptions have occurred since then.
Over the next seven days, the BNPB will clean up the main roads and search for the 20 missing people with the help of the police and military, according to a spokesperson from the agency.
Tanah Datar was one of three districts in West Sumatra impacted by the floods. A video shared by BNPB showed debris such as logs, rocks, and mud covering roads, bridges that had collapsed, and houses that had been destroyed.
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