23 Oct 2012

Flash floods in Papua displace over a thousand people

10:20 am on 23 October 2012

Flash floods in Indonesia's Papua on Sunday has displaced over 1,000 people and damaged over 200 houses and other public facilities.

A spokesman for the National Disaster Management office, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho says heavy rains at mountainous areas led to overflow of the Eranouli river and caused flash floods in Eranouli village in Panja district.

He told the Xinhua news agency that over 200 houses and scores of office building have been damaged and about 1,000 people have escaped to higher grounds.

He says waters inundated the village by up to 2 meters high, and that the waters also damaged a health clinic and a clean water facility.