At least 42 people have died and 21 have been injured in a severe flash flooding that hit Indonesia’s Papua province. People, vehicles and homes were swept away by torrents of water, as roads turned into rivers overnight.
Disconcerting photos and footage have been coming from Indonesia’s Sentani area in Jayapura Regency in Papua province, showing streets submerged with logs and debris floating in the water.
Officials confirmed Saturday that at least 42 people have been killed and a further 21 badly injured. The Country’s National Disaster Agency (BNPB) reported that the flash floods have caused many casualties and expansive damage to the nine villages in the Sentani area.
Korban banjir bandang di Sentai terus bertambah. Hingga
Minggu (17/3/2019) pukul 08.30 WIB, tercatat dampak banjir bandang sebanyak 42 orang meninggal dunia, dan 21 orang luka-luka. Diperkirakan korban masih akan bertambah karena evakuasi masih berlangsung. pic.twitter.com/EujZd0SMdL— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) March 17, 2019
Footage posted by the BNPB shows a small aircraft being badly damaged as people gather outside.
Mohon dukungan doa dari saudara setanah Air untuk musibah banjir bandang yang baru saja menerjang wilayah Kabupaten Jayapura khususnya Sentani dan sekitarnya Akses beberapa jembatan putus akibat derasnya material air dan lumpur. Puluhan korban meninggal 😓😭 #PrayForJayapurapic.twitter.com/w1bmF07oZs
— PERSIPURA (@PERSIPURA_) March 16, 2019
At least one car was washed away by the deluge and three bridges have sustained heavy damage, spokesman for the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, tweeted.
Sevral residents were dragged away by the flood water as it ripped through villages, he said.
The flooding triggered mudslides, making the roads almost impassable.
While the water levels have since receded, the authorities are still assessing the damage.
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