Rescue teams in Indonesia have recovered the bodies of 10 people who were swept away in flash floods or buried under landslides in hilly villages on Java, the country’s most populous island.
Two individuals remain missing as officials continue their search efforts.
The disasters, triggered by torrential rains since last week, caused rivers to overflow, affecting over 170 villages in Sukabumi district, West Java. Mud, rocks, and uprooted trees tumbled down mountainsides, overwhelming communities.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Yudi Hariyanto, head of the rescue command post in Sukabumi, more than 3,000 residents were forced to evacuate to temporary government shelters.
Authorities have identified nearly 400 houses at imminent risk, urging nearly 1,000 people to evacuate.
The extreme weather has left widespread devastation: 31 bridges destroyed, 81 roads severely damaged, and 539 hectares (1,332 acres) of rice fields submerged.
Over 1,170 homes have been inundated up to the roof, while 3,300 additional houses and structures have sustained significant damage.
The worst-hit areas include the villages of Tegalbuleud, Simpenan, and Ciemas, where rescue workers on Monday recovered 10 bodies, including those of three children.
Video footage circulating on social media captured the sheer force of the flash floods, which swept away vehicles, livestock, and other possessions, leaving roads resembling murky rivers and villages buried in thick mud.
West Java’s Search and Rescue Agency shared harrowing images of emergency workers navigating the wreckage, pulling mud-caked bodies from debris-covered areas.
Seasonal rains from October to March often bring severe flooding and landslides to Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands.
Millions of its residents live in mountainous regions or fertile floodplains prone to such disasters.
