(MENAFN) Devastating flash floods have left at least 23 villagers unaccounted for following Saturday afternoon's catastrophic deluge in Nduga Regency, a remote area within Indonesia's eastern Highland Papua province, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) announced Tuesday.

Abdul Muhari, who leads BNPB's Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, confirmed rescue operations remain active: "A joint rescue team is still searching for the 23 missing residents, of whom 15 are in Dal District and eight in Yuguru District."

The majority of victims were reportedly engulfed by raging floodwaters while attempting to cross a river that burst its banks after torrential rainfall pounded upstream regions, Muhari explained.

No displacement of residents has occurred thus far, Muhari reported, adding that BNPB continues tracking meteorological conditions across Papua and Southwest Papua. The agency issued urgent warnings to local governments and citizens to "remain alert to potential hydrometeorological hazards, including floods, landslides, and strong winds."

Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency forecasts the rainy season will peak between December and January.

The Southeast Asian nation routinely faces hydrometeorological catastrophes during monsoon months, with vulnerable communities bearing the brunt of extreme weather events.

MENAFN05112025000045017169ID1110296980