Floods in Indonesia kill 40, thousands displaced

Indonesia, a nation of some 17,000 islands, is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth.

loods sparked by torrential rains have killed nearly 40 in Indonesia with a dozen more still missing, officials said Monday, marking the latest calamity for a disaster-prone nation.

Landslides and floods are common during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.

On Monday, Indonesia’s disaster agency confirmed 29 deaths and said at least 13 more people were missing in Sumatra island’s Bengkulu province.

A landslide triggered by heavy rain in neighbouring Lampung province on Saturday also killed a family of six.

Meanwhile, flooding in and around parts of the capital Jakarta last week killed at least two people, forced more than 2,000 to evacuate their homes and set 14 pet pythons on the loose.

In Bogor, a satellite city of Jakarta, residents had to contend with the prospect of coming face to face with the giant serpents, after they were set loose from a private property due to the high waters.

Six of the snakes — which were as long as four metres (13 feet) — have been found, but eight were still missing, officials said at the weekend.

“If you find them please report it to authorities or volunteers,” said Indonesian disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

That was not much comfort for some Bogor residents.

“We’re terrified to hear this,” said Samsudin, who goes by one name.

“Apparently they’re very big so we want authorities to help us find them or take action.”

-sowetanlive