JAKARTA - Rescuers on Monday discovered five more bodies of victims of flash floods and landslides in Indonesia's West Papua province, bringing the death toll to six, while over 14 others remain missing, an official said.
According to Yefri Sabaruddin, head of the provincial search and rescue office, some of the bodies were found on the surface, while others were buried beneath piles of wood and branches in the disaster-hit areas of Gunung Arfak Regency.
"Five bodies have been found today. They have been taken to a temporary post," Sabaruddin told Xinhua. "Our focus now is on searching for the 14 missing people. We will try to find them."
READ MORE: Landslides in Indonesia's Sumatra kill at least 27, rescuers search for missing
Following the recovery of the bodies, the next phase of the search and rescue operation will shift to downstream areas of the rivers flowing through the disaster site.
"There is a possibility that the victims were swept downstream," Sabaruddin explained.
The operation has been carried out manually due to the challenging terrain in the mountainous region, which prevents the use of heavy machinery.
However, Sabaruddin noted that the search has been temporarily suspended due to ongoing high-intensity rainfall in the area.
"We are anticipating the risk of further flash floods or landslides, which could endanger the safety of the rescuers," he said.
The operation is expected to resume on Tuesday, but may be delayed again if weather conditions do not improve.
READ MORE: Indonesia resumes search for 7 missing after landslide and floods kill 15
The flash floods and landslides struck Gunung Arfak Regency on Thursday night following heavy rainfall. Poor communication access in the area led to delays in reporting the disaster to rescue teams.
At least 15 people died in the collapse of an illegal gold mine in West Sumatra province last September after a landslide caused by heavy rains.
Another landslide in a gold mine on Sulawesi island killed at least 23 people in July last year.