18 dead, 62 missing in Indonesia volcanic landslide

Jakarta: At least 18 people were killed and 62 missing after their villages were hit by cold mudflows from a volcano on Indonesia’s Lembata island, an official said on Monday.

Volcanic debris from Mount Lewotolok engulfed homes on Sunday following heavy rain, Thomas Ola, the head of Lembata district in East Nusa Tenggara province, told dpa news agency

“Fourteen villages are still totally isolated, with roads inaccessible,” Ola added.

The death toll is likely to increase as information was still being collected from villages, he said.

Mount Lewotolok has been rumbling for months.

In another part of the province, the death toll in flash floods and landslides that hit villages on Adonara island rose to at 55, with more than 20 still missing, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

The climatology and meteorological agency predicted that some parts of Indonesia could face extreme weather, with heavy and torrential rain, strong winds and large waves during the week ahead.

Disaster-prone Indonesia has recorded 968 disasters as of March 30 this year, most of which are wet hydrometeorological hazards with 870 occurrences, including 414 hazards caused by flooding. (IANS)