Indonesia dam OVERFLOWS: At least 30 dead in Sulawesi tragedy
INDONESIA villages have been hit by an overflowing dam which has killed at least 30 people and is forcing thousands to flee their homes.
Authorities in the country confirmed the horrific incident and said 25 people in the area were reported as missing.
Floodwaters over a metre high have all but wiped out riverside settlements in South Sulawesi province, including its provincial capital Makassar, on Wednesday and Thursday.
Aerial images showed muddy brown water covering swaths of lands and rushing water washing away houses and debris.
According to local media, authorities are delivering aid via helicopter as one of the major highways in the region has been blocked.
The Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency has placed temporary shelters and kitchens in the disaster struck region to assist residents evacuating the area.
Agency official Hasriadi said: "So far we have found 30 people who drowned or were caught in landslides triggered by heavy rains and when the Bili-Bili dam started overflowing.”
Indonesian TV and video posted on YouTube showed half submerged homes and rescuers in boats reaching people clinging to tire inner tubes in the floodwaters.
Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands and frequently suffers natural disasters.
More to follow...