Rescuers carry the body of a flood victim (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - The death toll from flash floods and landslidesin Indonesia’s eastern Papua province has risen to 107 on March 20, localofficials have said.
The figure is forecast to continue increasing as rescuers are searchingfor 93 missing others, focusing on residential areas buried by mud, rubble andwooden logs.
The floods and landslides, which hit Jayapura district at the weekend,also left 84 people seriously injured and 75 others with minor injuries, saidSutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
The natural disaster also forced almost 10,000 people to flee from homeand took shelters at 20 evacuation centres, most of which were governmentoffice buildings, the spokesman said.
A total of 357 houses, over 100 buildings, four bridges, eight schoolbuildings, five religious buildings and other infrastructures facilities weredestroyed, according to the agency.
The Indonesian government had declared a state of emergency in Papuaprovince for 14 days.
More than 1,600 rescuers, including soldiers and policemen, are findingit difficult to clean up debris.
Flash floods have been frequent in remote Papua province, but the one onMarch 16 evening was among the worst.
Deforestation at the upstream area of a river was blamed as one of thetriggers of the catastrophe, according to the agency.-VNA
Indonesia has issued a 14-day state of emergency to cope with the heavy consequences of flash floods and landslide triggered by torrential rain in the eastern province of Papua, as fatalities have climbed to 77 on March 18.
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Rescuers carry the body of a flood victim (Photo: VNA) 
