The death toll from devastating floods on Indonesia’s island of Bali has climbed to 14, up from nine earlier in the week, officials said on Thursday.
Disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari confirmed that two people remain missing in the island’s capital, Denpasar, where 125 rescuers have been deployed in search operations. More than 500 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters in schools and mosques.
Torrential rains on Tuesday and Wednesday triggered widespread flooding in Denpasar and six of Bali’s eight regions, blocking major roads, including access routes to the island’s international airport. Landslides were also reported in several areas. Most victims were swept away after rivers overflowed, Abdul said.
Authorities noted that no foreigners were among the casualties and flights at Bali’s busy airport have not been disrupted.
Rescue teams continue to pump water out of inundated buildings, while around 500 military personnel have been mobilised to clear mud, debris and rocks from streets. “The peak of the rain has passed and generally the waters have receded. Now, we are focusing on clearing mud from the streets,” Abdul added.
Heavy rainfall also battered Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, where four additional deaths were reported.
Melissa Enoch
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