Thirteen individuals lost their lives and two others were wounded in Indonesia's North Maluku province on Sunday due to floods in the eastern part of the vast archipelago, according to authorities.
The country's disaster management agency, BNPB, reported that the floods, triggered by heavy rainfall since Saturday, severely damaged ten homes in Ternate city. Citing predictions of continued heavy rain in the coming days, BNPB cautioned local residents to stay alert.
"We urge people to remain vigilant and follow instructions from authorities regarding potential further floods," spokesperson Abdul Muhari stated in a release. BNPB has sent a team to assist in evacuating the victims. The search and rescue agency, Basarnas, also mentioned that efforts to rescue victims, affected by landslides and debris carried by floodwaters, are still in progress.
In May, flash floods and mudslides in Indonesia's West Sumatra province resulted in the deaths of over 60 people.
