Indonesia Hit By Cyclone Cempaka, 19 Dead

Jakarta: A tropical cyclone which hit Indonesia's main island of Java has triggered severe flooding and landslides which left 19 dead, an official said today. Landslides claimed 15 lives in east and central Java, while four others perished in floods unleashed by Cyclone Cempaka. "Thousands of homes, hectares of agricultural land and public facilities are also flooded," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesia's disaster agency.

The destruction from the cyclone comes as the rumbling Mount Agung volcano on the neighbouring resort island of Bali threatens to erupt, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. Cempaka is expected to move away from Indonesia later Thursday, but more flooding and landslides could follow in its wake, the agency said, adding that it urgently needs blankets, clothes and inflatable boats.

Indonesia is prone to natural disasters and is often hit by floods and landslides. A landslide on Bali in February killed 12 people, including three children. In September last year, almost 30 people died in devastating floods and landslides in Garut, West Java.(PTI)