JAKARTA: At least 15 people have been killed after a landslide struck central Indonesia, said local authorities on Sunday.
The landslide, which occurred on Saturday evening in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi province, prompted the evacuation of 17 victims, with two fortunate survivors and 15 unfortunate fatalities confirmed so far, as reported by local disaster agency head Sulaiman Maila to a foreign news agency.
Maila said that two persons remain missing, potentially buried beneath the debris of the landslide, as per accounts from residents. Heavy rainfall has been persisting in Tana Toraja and its vicinity for the past week, exacerbating the situation.
Indonesia, with its rainy season, faces the recurrent threat of landslides, a peril further compounded in certain areas due to deforestation. Last month, Sumatra island witnessed devastating flash floods and landslides claiming the lives of at least 30 people, with many still unaccounted for.
In December, another tragic incident occurred near Lake Toba on Sumatra, where a landslide and flooding demolished numerous houses and a hotel, resulting in the loss of at least two lives.
