1st LD: 4 dead, hundreds of houses damaged in landslides, floods in central Indonesia

Landslides and floods in central Indonesia's North Sulawesi Province have left four people dead, one missing and hundreds of houses damaged, an official of the local disaster mitigation agency said on Wednesday.

Heavy downpours and tidal waves triggered the natural disasters at several districts and cities of the province, including the provincial capital of Manado city, Tomohon city, Minahasa Selatan district, Kepulauan Sitaro district and Sangihe Island, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of Indonesia's national disaster mitigation agency told Xinhua via phone.

Extreme weather and tidal waves hampered access to the island and cut communication, he said.

In Kepulauan Sitaro district, a bridge was buried by soils that hampered transportation, and cool lava floods from Mount Karangetan volcano also affected the district, the official cited.

Dozens of residents have fled home and taken shelter at a safer ground in the province, he said.

Soldiers, police, rescuers and volunteers have carried out emergency relief work at the affected areas, Sutopo added.

Indonesia is frequently hit by floods and landslides during heavy rains. Endit