Indonesia floods: At least 29 dead after torrential rains and landslides in Sumatra

Thousands evacuated after torrential rains trigger disaster in southwestern province of Bengkulu

At least 29 people have died in flooding and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra following days of torrential rain.

Officials said more than 12,000 people had fled their homes in the southwest province of Bengkulu as a result of the disaster, which has also claimed the lives of more than 200 cows, goats and sheep.

Hundreds of buildings, schools, bridges and roads have been damaged, hindering efforts of search and rescue teams and aid workers to reach the affected areas. Two sub-districts were completely cut off by landslides.

The Indonesia Disaster Agency said the flooding had started to subside in some parts of the province but warned that the death toll could get worse.

“The impact of this disaster may increase,” said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. “Landslides and floods could happen again if rainfall is high.

“Some areas are difficult to access, electricity is partially extinguished, communication with other regions is difficult, bridges and roads are damaged, and the budget in some regions is limited.”

Most casualties were reported in central Bengkulu where a landslide at the foot of a mountain killed nearly 22 people. Two 11-year-old boys drowned while playing in a flooded area near Bengkulu City.

Residents salvage their belongings after their homes in Bengkulu province were flooded (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images)

Four others were injured across the province and rescuers are trying to track down 13 missing people, according to an official report posted by the agency on Monday morning.

Flooding in parts of the capital of Jakarta also left two people dead and more than 2,000 temporarily homeless earlier in the week.

Fourteen pythons escaped from a private property in the nearby city of Bogor after a nearby river overflowed. Six were recaptured but officials warned residents to “be alert”.

The disaster agency said refugee tents, rubber boats, blankets, ready-to-eat food, clean water, baby equipment and emergency lights were all needed, in addition to equipment to repair road and bridge links.

It follows reports that more than 270 election workers died from fatigue-related illnesses caused by long hours spent counting millions of ballot papers by hand, after Indonesia held the world’s biggest single-day vote.