Indonesia floods: Death toll rises to 51

Rescuers sifting through mud and debris left by flash floods in central Indonesia found more 17 bodies.

Rescuers sifting through mud and debris left by flash floods in central Indonesia found more 17 bodies on Tuesday, bringing to 51 the number of people killed in the disaster.

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Several villages were inundated when heavy weekend rains triggered a landslide on a hill in Panti, a subdistrict of East Java province, and forced a river to break its banks early on Monday.

"We have collected 51 bodies so far and rescuers are still searching for more," said Burhanudin, a top official in Panti.

Hundreds of houses and boarding schools were destroyed or washed away, said Burhanudin, who goes by only one name. Many people were sheltering in mosques and boarding schools.