:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/YIJOO75VLFHNTJAQBTV6YJIPJU.jpg "Flood and landslide hit the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia; there are 14 dead")
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A flood and landslide hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, killing 14 people, officials said Saturday.
Torrential rains that drenched the area since Thursday triggered an avalanche in Luwu district of South Sulawesi province, said Mexianus Bekabel, head of local rescue teams.
Floods of up to 3 meters (10 feet) have affected 13 subdistricts. More than 1,000 houses were affected, of which 42 were torn from their foundations.
A search and rescue team worked to evacuate residents using rubber boats and other vehicles. More than 100 residents have been moved to mosques or relatives’ homes outside the affected area, Abdul Muhari, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, said Saturday.
Seasonal downpours cause frequent landslides and flooding in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or on fertile plains.
Torrential rains in April triggered landslides and killed 20 people in Tana Toraja district of South Sulawesi province.