At least 10 dead after flash floods flatten villages and cut off rescue workers

At least 10 people have died after torrential rain unleashed flash floods and triggered landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island.

Six others are missing as rescue teams struggle to reach affected areas in North Sumatra province after the monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks.

Mud, rocks and trees tumbled down the hilly villages, flattening 17 houses and a cafe.

At least five bodies have been recovered and three injured people found in the worst-hit city of Sibolga.

Rescue teams say they are still searching for four villagers who were reported missing.

In the neighbouring district of Central Tapanuli, landslides hit several homes, killing at least a family of four.

Flooding has also submerged nearly 2,000 houses and buildings.

Sibolga police chief Eddy Inganta confirmed emergency shelters were active and residents in high risk zones have been urged to evacuate.

He said: ‘Bad weather and mudslides hampered the rescue operation.’

He added that continued rainfall could trigger more landslides, and access already remains limited.

Heavy seasonal rain from about October to March frequently causes flooding and landslides in Indonesia.

It comes as the National Disaster Mitigation Agency declared the official end of relief efforts in two areas of Indonesia’s Java island after 10 days of operations.

Some 38 people were killed and more than 1,000 rescue workers searched for people buried beneath the landslides.

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