Death toll of Indonesia's flash floods, landslides rises to 89 as search efforts continue

JAKARTA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian disaster authorities have put the death toll of flash floods and landslides in eastern province of Papua at 89 while the search and rescue operation for 74 missing persons continues, official said here on Tuesday.

The natural disaster striking Jayapura district during the weekend has left 159 people wounded with 84 of whom sustaining from serious injuries, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"The number of victims keeps rising due to the large territory of the disaster-impacted areas," Sutopo told Xinhua in a text message.

The disaster also forced 6,831 people to flee home and took shelters at five evacuation centers after the floods and landslides destroyed a total of 350 houses, three bridges, eight school buildings, three religious buildings and others infrastructures facilities, the spokesman said.

Over 1,600 personnel under a joint-command rescue team continued search and rescue along with other emergency relief efforts on Tuesday, according to him.

Field clinics and field kitchens have been set up to meet the evacuees' needs. However, there are some items which are badly needed, such as clean water, food and clothes, the spokesman said.

Flash floods have been frequent in the remote Papua province, but the one on Saturday evening was among the worst.

Deforestation at the upstream area of a river was blamed as one of the triggers of the natural disaster, according to the agency.

Governor of Papua Lukas Enembe said that deforestation at the upstream of rivers would be prohibited.

Previously, the agency blamed decreasing forest-covered areas as the trigger of the natural disaster.

President Joko Widodo has ordered to carry out reclamation and reforestation of the areas to prevent a repeat of the catastrophe.

Indonesia has been frequently stricken by flash floods, floods and landslides during heavy rains.