Indonesian landslide death toll rises to 25

Jakarta, Mar 4: Indonesian rescuers searched today for 44 people missing after massive landslides killed at at least 25 people on Flores island, an official said.

Heavy rains hampered rescue efforts in East Nusa Tenggara province where dozens of homes have been washed away and roads severely damaged, Christian Rotok, the regent of the worst-hit Manggarai regency, told Reuters.

''It is now raining heavily but we are continuing the search,'' Rotok said. ''It is very difficult to get to the locations as the roads are blocked.'' He said it was difficult to estimate how many people may have been displaced, but 200 people had been moved to safer ground.

Indonesia is in the middle of the rainy season when landslides are frequent in the country, where tropical downpours can quickly soak hillsides and years of deforestation often means there is little vegetation to hold the soil.

REUTERS >