Landslides, floods kill 114 in Indonesia

SINJAI, Indonesia, June 21 (Reuters) Landslides and floods on Indonesia's eastern Sulawesi island have killed 114 people and the toll could rise further, officials said today.

A search-and-rescue operation was underway after two days of heavy rain in several parts of South Sulawesi province.

Sinjai regency was the worst-hit area after flooding early yesterday rescuers and police said.

''Excavations for those who were buried are still in progress,'' a Reuters witness in Sinjai said, adding that the military, police, and search and rescue teams had reached the area.

Many people were feared buried under mud in areas rescuers could only reach by foot, said Saktianto, a search-and-rescue official in Makassar, South Sulawesi's capital about 1,400 km east of Jakarta.

''The flash flood has receded, leaving mud and damaged houses. Many houses were severely damaged and have become ruins,'' the Reuters witness said.

So far 114 people had died, Moersen Buana of the disaster task force told Reuters by telephone from Makassar.

Torrential rains and landslides are regular features of tropical Indonesia. Rampant deforestation often adds to the ease with which hillsides are saturated and collapse, environmentalists say.

The central government had sent blankets, medicines and sarongs for the affected people of Sulawesi, Social Minister Bachtiar Chamsah told reporters in Jakarta.

He said he had instructed ministry officials at the disaster sites to evacuate people to safe areas.

Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari said her ministry had sent medicine, biscuits and 200 body bags.

REUTERS SHR HT1525