The fatalities resulting from flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano in western Indonesia have increased to 41, with an additional 17 people reported missing, AFP reported on Monday citing a local disaster agency official.

Extensive rainfall over several hours triggered significant volcanic rock movements down one of Indonesia's highly active volcanoes on Sumatra island on Saturday evening. The incident affected two districts, leading to flooding that submerged roads, residences, and mosques.
 
"Data as of last night, we recorded 37 dead victims... But from this morning it has grown again, the figure reached 41 [dead]," Ilham Wahab, West Sumatra disaster mitigation agency official, said as quoted by AFP.

Massive eruption at the Mount Ibu volcano in west of Halmahera, Indonesia 🇮🇩 (13.05.2024) pic.twitter.com/JtuolvMTCi

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Rescuers were in the process of searching for 17 individuals who were still unaccounted for, with three in Agam district and 14 in Tanah Datar, both heavily affected areas by the flood and home to hundreds of thousands of residents, he noted.

Ilham was unable to verify the exact number of locals evacuated, as officials had advised "people to relocate to the homes of relatives, which offer greater safety" compared to tent shelters during heavy rainfall.

"We are focused on first, searching and rescuing the victims, second, protecting the evacuees, protecting the vulnerable people," he stressed.

The districts' roads were transformed into waterways, with mosques and residences suffering damage. Torrential downpours flooded neighborhoods with murky waters and carried vehicles into a nearby river, while volcanic ash and sizable rocks cascaded down Mount Merapi. Cold lava, scientifically referred to as lahar, consists of volcanic substances like ash, sand, and pebbles that are washed down a volcano's slopes by rain.

Evacuation centers established

Authorities dispatched a rescue team along with rubber boats to search for the missing individuals and to facilitate the transportation of people to shelters. The local government established evacuation centers and emergency stations in various areas of Agam and Tanah Datar.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, 84 residences, 16 bridges, and two mosques were damaged in Tanah Datar, along with 20 hectares (50 acres) of rice fields.

Survivors shared their terrifying experiences when the flooding and rockfall commenced.
 
It is worth noting that Indonesia frequently experiences landslides and floods during the rainy season. In 2022, approximately 24,000 individuals were displaced and two children lost their lives in floods on Sumatra island. Environmental advocates attributed the exacerbation of the disaster to deforestation as a result of logging activities.