6 dead, 500 evacuated as floods, landslides hit Indonesia

Jakarta: Six people died and 500 others evacuated from their homes as floods and landslides hit Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua, the country’s disaster management agency said Friday.

“Heavy rains since Thursday night have hit several sub districts in Jayapura City, Papua province, triggering floods and landslides,” the agency’s spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.

Officials were working to identify three bodies while the rest have been recognised, Muhari said, adding that rescuers were evacuating the flood-affected people from their homes using three boats, while a truck picked up those trapped by the landslides, reports Xinhua news agency.

On Friday morning, light rains still fell and the floods gradually receded, but blackout still remained.