Indonesia disaster agency says 12 killed in Bali landslides

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Twelve people including young children were killed in landslides on the tourist island of Bali that wiped out several homes, Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said Friday.

The agency’s spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said landslides hit three villages in mountainous areas of Bangli district and were caused by sustained torrential rains.

Members of two families were among those killed in Songan village including a 1-year-old boy, his 7-year-old sister and their mother. Four people were killed in Awan village and one person died in Sukawana village.

The agency said more heavy rains are likely in Bali and people should be aware of the possibility of landslides and floods.

Two people in Songan village were hospitalized with severe injuries, two others suffered minor injuries and five homes were buried.

The resort island is Indonesia’s best-known tourist destination and famous for its Hindu culture, white beaches and lush green interior.

Rains often cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago where millions of people live in mountainous areas or on flood plains near rivers.