Flood, Landslide Hit Indonesia, Kill 14


TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Floods and landslide hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, killing 14 people, officials said on Saturday.

Torrential rain pounding the area since Thursday triggered a landslide in Luwu district in South Sulawesi province, local rescue chief Mexianus Bekabel said.

Floods up to 3 meters have affected 13 sub-districts as water and mud covered the area. More than 1,000 houses were affected, with 42 of them swept off their foundations, the AP reported.

More than 100 residents have been moved to mosques or relatives' houses outside the affected area, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said on Saturday.

Seasonal downpours cause frequent landslides and floods in Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or in fertile floodplains.

Torrential rains in April triggered landslides and killed 20 people in Tana Toraja district of South Sulawesi province.