Nearly 100 dead and dozens of missing because of inu …

At least 91 people died and several dozen are still missing during floods and landslides in Indonesia and East Timorlocal authorities reported on Monday.

Floods and flash floods, triggered by torrential rains, have wreaked havoc in areas between the Indonesian island of Flores and East Timor. Thousands of people have taken refuge in assistance centers.

The flood overflowed water reservoirs and inundated thousands of homes. The Indonesian Disaster Management Agency reported at least 70 deadand 70 other people still missing. In neighboring East Timor, at least 21 people died. Most of them in Dili, the capital.

In the east of the Indonesian island of Flores, many houses, roads and bridges were covered with mud, making it difficult for rescuers to try to reach the worst affected areas. “Mud and weather conditions are a big challenge, as is the debris that accumulates and makes searching difficult.”said Raditya Djati, spokesperson for the Indonesian disaster management agency.

On Lembata, an island halfway between Flores and Timor, road access was cut, forcing the authorities to deploy machinery to reopen the tracks. Parts of some upland villages have been stranded by landslides.

Evidence of disasters

Basir Langoday, a resident of the island, said he heard calls for help from a house covered in rubble. “There were four people inside. Three survived, but not the last.”he explained to reporters. Langoday and other neighbors did their best to save the man trapped in the wreckage. “He shouted: hurry up, I can’t take it anymore.”

“I understand the immense sorrow of our brothers and sisters after this disaster”Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in a speech to the nation.

“The evacuees have dispersed everywhere, there are hundreds of them in all the districts, but many people also stayed at home,” said Alfons Hada Bethan, head of the disaster management agency in the east of. Flores. “They need medicine, food, blankets,” he added.

The rains complicate the situation. “We think there are still a lot of people buried, but we don’t know how many”Bethan said.

Landslides and flash floods are common in the Indonesian archipelago, especially during the rainy season. Conservationists say deforestation favors these disasters. In January, 40 Indonesians were killed in flooding in the western Javanese city of Sumedang.

The national disaster management agency estimates that 125 million Indonesians, or about half of the archipelago’s population, live in areas at risk of landslides.