JAKARTA, Nov 28, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The death toll from flooding triggered by 
intense rains in western Indonesia has risen to 27, after a landslide buried 
vehicles, a rescue official said Thursday.

Floods and landslides hit four districts in the North Sumatra province over 
the weekend, killing at least 20 people, according to the national disaster 
agency's tally.

The latest landslide hit a remote road in the Deli Serdang district of North 
Sumatra province on Tuesday following spells of torrential rain.

"As of today, seven people died from the landslide incident in the Sembahe 
(village)," Sariman Sitorus, a spokesman for the local search and rescue 
agency, told AFP.

Several of the dead were extracted from a tourist bus that passed through the 
area when the landslide occurred, he added.

Heavy equipment has been deployed to help with the search operation.

At least 16 people were injured by the landslide, Sariman said, citing data 
from a nearby hospital.

Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically between 
November and April, but some disasters caused by adverse weather have taken 
place outside that season in recent years.

In May, at least 67 people died after a mixture of ash, sand and pebbles 
carried down from the eruption of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra washed into 
residential areas, causing flash floods.