"Extreme weather has caused hundreds of hectares of rice fields to flood," Sabu Raijua District head Doris Rihi said on Monday.
Rains of high intensity caused the Lobopedana reservoir to overflow and inundate rice fields in West Sabu and East Sabu Sub-districts, he added.
The incessant downpour triggered flooding and strong winds damaged several homes and toppled trees, he informed.
The local authorities are in the process of collecting data on the material losses caused by the natural disaster.
"We are not sure how many people have been affected by this natural disaster because the BPBD (local disaster mitigation office) team is still conducting data collection on the damage," Rihi said.
Related news: District government confirms 62 deaths in Flores Timur's flash floods
Meanwhile, at least 62 people were killed and thousands displaced by flash floods and landslides that devastated several villages in East Flores on Sunday.
Chief of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Doni Monardo, visited East Flores on Monday to observe the devastation caused by the natural disasters.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed his staff to act promptly in handling the victims and impacts of flash floods and landslides that struck East Flores.
"I have ordered the head of BNPB (National Disaster Mitigation Agency), head of Basarnas (National Search and Rescue Agency), Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Health, and Minister of PUPR (Public Works and Public Housing), as well as commander of the TNI (Indonesian Defense Forces) and chief of the National Police to immediately evacuate disaster victims and handle the impact of the disasters," the head of state noted in a video message in Jakarta on Monday.
President Widodo also expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives in the flash floods and landslides in the provinces of NTT and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
In NTB, floods affected the districts of Bima and Dompu.
Related news: Undertake prompt mitigation efforts in East Flores floods: Jokowi
Translator: Benniktur SSJ, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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