Jakarta, Mar 17 (UNI) As many as 42 people died and dozens others went missing as flash floods hit Indonesia's easternmost Papua province Saturday night, a local disaster agency official said on Sunday.
The cause of the natural disaster is torrential rains and affected several villages in Jayapura district.
As many as 21 people were badly injured while 18 others suffered minor wounds, Cory Simbolon, head of emergency unit of the provincial disaster management agency, told Xinhua .
"Dozens of people are still missing, as the flash floods hit at about 1800 hrs local time," the official said.
Over 3,000 people have been forced to flee home and taken shelters at safer grounds after the flash floods damaged dozens of houses, buildings, bridges and other infrastructure facilities, the official said.
According to the official, risk assessment of the disaster was being carried out by disaster officials.
He said the some evacuees took shelters at the headquarters of district office and search and rescue office.
UNI XC JTS 0838