At least 20 killed, 5 missing in landslides, floods triggered by cyclone in Indonesia

At least 20 were killed and five others are still missing as landslides and floods struck Indonesia's East Java province, a government official from the disaster agency said on Saturday.

The landslides and floods were triggered by a cyclone from the Indian Ocean which also swept other provinces.

The number of people who are force to leave their homes increased to 2,050 on Saturday from 1,879 a day earlier as the natural disasters in Pacitan district of East Java province devastated 1,709 houses, spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"Search for the victims is going on and evacuation has been carried out, involving personnel from disaster agency and search and recuse offices as well as soldiers, policemen and volunteers," he told Xinhua.

At least four people were also injured in the floods and landslides, said Sutopo.

Difficult access has hampered heavy machinery to reach the affected areas, he said.

The cyclone from the Indian Ocean triggered landslides, floods and whirl winds in 28 districts in the provinces of East Java, Yogyakarta and Bali, according to him.

The cyclone occurred on Tuesday with 65 km per hour in speed, centering at 32 km in south and southeast of East Java province, according to the agency.

source: Xinhua