Death toll from western Indonesia’s landslides rises to 44

The death toll from the landslides striking Indonesia’s western
province of Riau Islands increased to 44 on Saturday as the search
for the 11 missing people was still going on, an official said,
Trend reports
citing Xinhua.

“Of the 44 bodies recovered, 43 of them have been identified,”
said Raja Darmika, head of the operation unit of the disaster
management and mitigation agency of Natuna Regency where the
disaster occurred on Monday.

Heavy downpours were blamed for the natural disaster, destroying
more than 30 houses, with the number of people evacuated reaching
2,234, according to Syariffuddin Muhammad, secretary of Natuna
disaster management and mitigation agency.

The rescue operation has involved heavy machinery, and personnel
from the local search and rescue office, the local disaster
management and mitigation agency, as well as military personnel and
police, according to him.