2nd LD Writethru: Flash floods, landslides in western Indonesia leave 3 dead, 4 missing

Three people were killed and four other went missing after flash floods and landslides hit central Java province in western Indonesia on Saturday, an official of disaster agency said.

Scores of flood-affected people have been evacuated to higher ground as the natural disasters stroke several districts, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Spokesman of National Disaster Management Agency said.

Three people were buried by landslides in Gumelem village of Kebumen district when they and other villagers were cleaning up a road from soil resulted by landslides, he said.

"They were dead after being buried by landslides," said Sutopo.

Three other people were also allegedly buried by landslides in Dukuh Semampir village of the district, the search for the three is underway now, he said.

Separately at Purworejo district one person was swept away by a strong river current and went missing, the official added.

Heavy rains hampered the search for the missing persons and the evacuation of the flood-hit villagers, he said.

Indonesia has been frequently hit by floods and landslides during heavy downpours. Endit