Aerial photo drone shows houses submerged by floods due to heavy downpours at Sidrap Regency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by Niaz Sharief/Xinhua)
JAKARTA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed after flooding and landslides struck Indonesia's South Sulawesi province, an official from the country's disaster agency said on Saturday.
The natural disasters, which were triggered by heavy downpours, had occurred since Friday in Luwu regency, Spokesman of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency Abdul Muhari said.
Consequently, more than 1,800 houses and mosques had been submerged by the waters by up to three meters, and a total of 103 houses were destroyed, the spokesman said.
Photo taken on May 4, 2024 shows a woman in her house as flood water submerges a residential area after heavy downpours at Sidrap Regency in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, on May 4, 2024. (Photo by Niaz Sharief/Xinhua)
In addition, 42 other houses were swept away by the current, the spokesman said.
Moreover, 115 people were forced to flee home and take shelter in their relatives' houses or mosques located on safer grounds, he said in a statement.
The evacuation of disaster-affected people continued on Saturday, he said.■