At least 14 people have died in flash floods in Indonesia, and rescue services are still searching for a large number of missing people, officials said today.
Heavy rains caused flooding on Siawu Island in North Sulawesi on Sunday, said local rescue spokesman Nuriyadin Gumeleng, Reuters reported.
He added that rescuers are still searching for four people who are missing, and that 18 people have been injured.
The main roads in the affected area are covered with rocks, debris and thick mud, and at least 444 people have been evacuated to local schools and churches, officials said.
The floods destroyed hundreds of homes and government buildings, said North Sulawesi Governor Julius Selvanus.
The islands of Java, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua are expected to experience the peak of their rainy seasons during January and February, bringing a higher risk of flooding, Indonesia's meteorological agency said.
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