JAKARTA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 38 others went missing after flash floods struck Indonesia's South Sulawesi province on Tuesday, rescuers said.
Heavy downpours triggered an overflowing river and submerged surrounding areas in Luwu Utara district after midnight, said Dadan Sarkas, an official from the Search and Rescue Office in the province.
Scores of houses, a school building and public facilities were damaged and submerged by muds and waters about 50 cm deep, Sarkas told Xinhua.
The natural disaster also forced residents to flee home, according to Sarkas, but he did not give further details as risk assessment of the catastrophe was still being undertaken.
Meanwhile, Fajri Mursalin, a rescuer in charge of the data center in the province, said the search for the missing persons was underway.
"So far five people have been confirmed dead, 10 others are under treatment at a hospital in Masamba and 38 others are being searched for," he told Xinhua, referring to the Masamba city in the district.
On the number of the casualties, Mursalin said, the real figure could be higher as the assessment was still underway.
Indonesia has been frequently stricken by flash floods, floods and landslides during the rain season. Enditem
