Tragedy Strikes As Floods and Landslides Devastate Papua

At least 15 individuals, predominantly children, remain missing and are likely deceased after devastating floods and landslides struck Papua, Indonesia, due to relentless rains, a local official reported Monday. The incident underscores the challenges faced by the residents of this remote region in the face of natural disasters.

According to Alfredo Agustinus Rumbiak, the police chief of Nduga, the children, aged between eight and 17, were returning home after a volleyball game when the catastrophe occurred. They sought refuge on large rocks to escape the floods but were overpowered by the torrent and buried by falling rocks.

Ongoing search efforts involving residents, police, and military personnel are being complicated by the mountainous terrain and security concerns. The site, categorized as a 'red zone,' witnesses a continued bid for independence by Papuan separatists, further complicating rescue operations.