INDONESIA was a scene of devastation in the aftermath of flash floods and cold lava flow that hit residential areas near one of the country’s most active volcanoes this past weekend.
Indonesia’s disaster agency chief said the death toll rose to 67 on Wednesday from 44 on Monday.
The number of missing is now at 22 while dozens of people remain unaccounted for.
Many of the dead were found near riverbanks, buried under volcanic material or rocks, after being swept away by the deluge of volcanic material, mud, and rain.
Hours of heavy rain on Saturday resulted in severe flooding that carried torrents of ash and rocks from Mount Marapi, the most active volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
The volcanic material known as cold lava or “lahar” included ash, sand, and pebbles which were carried down from the volcano’s slopes to the villages.
Transportation across six districts was severely affected while authorities deployed heavy equipment to clear debris from the areas worst hit by flooding and cold lava flows.
The natural disaster forced thousands to flee their homes as the search for the missing continues.
Indonesia sits in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes that surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean, hence, making the country prone to constant risk of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, and tsunamis.