Flood kills at least six people in Indonesia, four missing: official

Day-long heavy rain causes flash-flood in Indonesian island of Sulawesi, sweeping away 30 homes and killing at least six people.

At least six people died and four others were missing after they were struck by a flash flood on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, official said.

The flood, which swept away about 30 homes in the Polewali district of West Sulawesi province Saturday, was caused by a river that burst its banks following day-long heavy rain.

"So far we have recovered six bodies but four people are still reported missing," Rustam Pakaya, head of the Health Ministry's crisis centre said.

He said at least seven villages in the province had been hit by flood waters more than one-and-a-half metres deep following torrential rain this week.

Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, which hits its peak from December to February.

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