Dozens dead, missing in Indonesia floods, landslides

A disaster official says the number of people killed after days of torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island has climbed to 59 with 25 others missing.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman, says more bodies were recovered Friday as floodwaters and rainfall subsided in several areas.

Thirteen districts and cities in South Sulawesi province including the capital, Makassar, have been affected by flooding that began late Tuesday, forcing more than 3,000 people to flee their homes. Rescuers are still searching for 25 others.

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