Indonesia: Death toll from floods in Java rises to 23

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia

The death toll from flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rains has risen to 23 in Indonesia’s central Java island.

Willem Rampangilei, National Disaster Management Agency chief, said in a press release Thursday that another 18 people -- including four children -- remain missing.

"Meanwhile, hundreds of displaced being accommodated at a military base are in good condition. It has provided logistics and clean water," he added.

Of the 23 fatalities, who have been identified, nine are children.

Rampangilei underlined predictions that heavy rains would continue until reaching a peak in January due to the La Nina weather phenomenon -- the cooler counter to the dry El Nino conditions that affected the equatorial Pacific region earlier this year.

"People are encouraged to continue to raise awareness of the threat of flooding and landslides," he added.

In June, floods and landslides in Java and Sulawesi islands left more than 60 people dead.

Seasonal rains often cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or flood-prone plains close to rivers.