Indonesia’s disaster management agency BNPB reports that at least 50 people have died in flash floods in Papua Province.

In a statement of 17 March, 2019, BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that floods and landslides in Sentani District, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, were triggered by torrential rain on Saturday, 16 March. Some areas of the province recorded almost 200mm of rain in 24 hours to 17 March.

Dozens of homes were damaged and 59 people injured. Although the flood waters have started to recede, evacuations are still being carried out.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the number of casualties and impact of the disaster will likely increase as search and rescue teams are still trying to reach other affected areas. Access has been hindered by fallen trees, rocks, mud and flood debris.

At least 3 people died in flooding in the country earlier this month after heavy rain affected Java and Flores islands from around 05 March 2019. Parts of Papua Province also saw heavy rain soon after, with Tanah Merah recorded 128mm of rain in 24 hours to 08 March.

Rainfall

Mopah, situated in the far east of Papua Province and around 70 km from the border with Papua New Guinea, recorded 199 mm of rain in 24 hours to 17 March 2019. Sentani recorded 114 mm and Jayapura City recorded 169mm of rain during the same period.

Papua New Guinea

As the map from Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) shows, much of the recent heavy rain has fallen in areas close to the border with Papua New Guinea.

Parts of East New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea saw severe flooding in mid February, 2019 where 2 people died and over 70 homes were destroyed.

Further minor flooding was reported in East New Britain on 13 March. As yet there have been no reports of any flooding in the country since then.

Social Media

Korban banjir bandang di Sentai terus bertambah. Hingga
Minggu (17/3/2019) pukul 08.30 WIB, tercatat dampak banjir bandang sebanyak 42 orang meninggal dunia, dan 21 orang luka-luka. Diperkirakan korban masih akan bertambah karena evakuasi masih berlangsung. pic.twitter.com/EujZd0SMdL

— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) March 17, 2019

Sebagian banjir sudah surut di Sentani, Jayapura, Papua. Dampak banjir bandang 14 orang meninggal dunia, 18 orang luka-luka. Evakuasi dan penanganan dampak banjir bandang masih terus dilakukan oleh tim SAR gabungan. pic.twitter.com/JjDDRbTD4f

— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) March 17, 2019