Manokwari (ANTARA) - At least 10 residents have been confirmed dead following the recent flash flood and landslides in the Catubouw, Arfak Mountains district, West Papua province, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
"We discovered one victim on the fifth day of our SAR operation, adding to the nine victims that have been evacuated earlier," head of the Basarnas Office of Manokwari, Yefri Sabaruddin, said in Manokwari district, West Papua, on Wednesday.
He highlighted that six of the victims have been identified, adding, "(The identification of) Four other victims is pending the results of the examination by a disaster victim identification team from the West Papua Regional Police."
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Due to heavy rain, the SAR operation on the fifth day was paused around 2 p.m. local time, but will be resumed the next day to locate 10 more residents reported missing since the hydrometeorological disasters struck Jim village on the night of May 16, 2025.
"In total, the disasters affected 24 people, with 4 survivors, 10 found dead, and 10 others still missing," Sabaruddin informed.
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He further said that the SAR operation involved 127 personnel from multiple institutions, including the Basarnas, local military units, the West Papua Police, the Arfak Mountains Resort Police, the West Papua Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), and the Arfak Mountains BPBD.
"Local residents and families of victims have also contributed to the SAR operation," he added.
He informed that on Wednesday, the fifth day of the operation, the joint team deployed one excavator and supporting tools and equipment, including communication devices and drones, to map the scene.
