Indonesian police and soldiers search for residents who need assistance at a flooded neighborhood in Sentani, Papua Province, Indonesia, Monday, March 18, 2019. Flash flood and mudslides triggered by days of torrential downpours tore through mountainside villages in Indonesia's easternmost province, killing dozens of people. (AP Photo/Tumbur Gultom)
At least 79 people were killed and another 74 were hospitalized in eastern Indonesia after heavy . A Sunday earthquake triggered an additional landslide on the island of Lombok, killing an three people and damaging hundreds of homes.
Poor weather conditions have hampered rescue efforts, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman. Hospitals are overwhelmed with injuries as some medical facilities are without power.
“We are overwhelmed by too many injuries,” said Haerul Lee, the head of the Jayapura health office. “We can’t handle it alone.”
Dozens remain missing as rescue efforts continue. Nugroho believes the number of dead will increase in time as many affected areas have yet been reached.