Mamasa District Head Ramlan Badawi said here on Sunday that besides the 17 victims, two others were still in the local healthcare center for a medical treatment.
"Up to now based data at the disaster mitigation team, 14 victims have been found dead where 10 of them were found on the first day on Thursday. Rescuers three mother bodies on second day and another one the third day," the Mamasa district head said when he inspected the location on Sunday.
On the occasion, West Sulawesi Governor Anwar Adnan Saleh, accompanied by a number of local government officials, also inspected the affected village.
Ramlan said that rescuers would continue to search for the missing victims for seven days. "We have to stop the rescue operation after seven days based the standard procedures," the district head said.
He said that he was surprised to see the disaster because it claimed a big number of victims. "We, on behalf of the government, expressed our deep condolences over the victims of the disaster which hit the village. The disaster came all of a sudden and destroyed some parts of villagers` settlement," he said.
The flash floods and landslides killed 14 and caused three others missing. They were found dead after being carried away by water currents.
Earlier, the district head said that the death toll might increase as rescue workers were still searching for other victims.
"There may be still other victims who have not been found. We are searching for other victims," he said.
The flash flood hit the village at around 04.30 p.m. local time.
(A014)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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