18 dead and more missing after landslides hit Indonesia
A search and rescue operation for the missing people is under way.
At least 18 people are feared to have died after rain triggered a huge landslide in the Indonesian island Sulawesi.
The landslide destroyed four homes when it hit two villages in the Tana Toraja district in Sulawesi’s southern peninsula.
Mud fell from hills surrounding the villages and destroyed the homes, one where a family gathering was being held, reports local police.
‘Two of them survived while 15 others sadly passed away,’ local disaster agency head Sulaiman Maila said.
‘According to reports from residents, there are still two individuals reported missing, presumably buried under the landslide debris’.
A search and rescue operation is currently underway for missing residents, with soldiers, police and volunteers joining the effort.
The disaster occurred late on Saturday night, when the region was hit by heavy rain.
A spokesperson for South Sulawesi Amson Pandolo said the landslide was caused by days of high intensity rainfall and unstable soil conditions, reports CNN Indonesia.
The evacuation process and search for the remaining victims has been hindered due to the weather conditions.
Photos shared by local officials show the rescue party going through rubble to find survivors, and homes that have been almost completely destroyed.
Latest reports suggest the known victims are aged between two and 60 years old.
Last month, floods and landslides killed over 20 people on the Sumatra island in Indonesia, with thousands displaced when torrential rain destroyed hundreds of homes.
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