Jakarta, Indonesia: At least 14 people have died in flash floods after being swept away by torrential rains in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, while rescue authorities continue searching for missing persons.
Spokesperson for the local rescue agency Nuriadin Gumeleng said the search continues for four people still missing, adding that 18 people have been injured so far.
Gumeleng told reporters that the agency is continuing to gather information from local residents in case more people are missing, noting that heavy rains over the past two days caused flash floods on Siau Island in the northeast of the country.
Meanwhile, local authorities have evacuated at least 444 people to shelters following the floods.
The local weather agency had predicted that the islands of Java, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua would experience the peak of their rainy season during January and February, increasing the risk of flooding.
Last November, floods and landslides killed more than 1,000 people in Sumatra, while hundreds are still missing.
