6 dead, hundreds flee as floods, landslides hit Indonesia’s Papua province

JAKARTA: JAN. 7 – Six people died and 500 others fled to the homes of their closest relatives as floods and landslides hit Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua, according to the country’s disaster management agency on Friday.

“Heavy rains since Thursday night have hit several sub-districts in Jayapura City, Papua province, triggering floods and landslides,” the agency’s spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.

Officials were working to identify three bodies while the rest have been recognized, Muhari said, adding that rescuers were evacuating the flood-affected people from their homes using three boats, while a truck picked up those trapped by the landslides.

On Friday morning, light rains still fell and the floods gradually receded, but blackout still remained.

-Xinhua