At least 49 families were attacked in Flores, in the east of Indonesia’s sprawling Raditya Jati archipelago, a BNPB spokesperson said in a statement.
“Dozens of houses were buried in mud in Lamanele village … residents’ houses were washed away by the flood,” Raditya said, referring to the eastern part of Flores.
On Adonara Island, east of Flores, a bridge collapsed and rescuers were fighting heavy rain, strong winds and waves, he added.
“Heavy rains and overflowing water have drowned people’s homes and have also claimed the lives of several victims,” East Timor Deputy Prime Minister José Reis said in a statement.
“There are roads that have collapsed, trees have fallen and some areas have been difficult to access,” he said, calling the incident the worst in East Timor in 40 years.
Power supplies were cut off and the presidential palace flooded as heavy rains and high winds hit Dili since Saturday night.
Civil protection officials in East Timor could not immediately be reached for comment. Social media posts showed collapsed buildings and vehicles submerged by flash floods.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency said a tropical cyclone was approaching the Savu Strait between the southern part of Nusa Tenggara province and the north coast of East Timor, warning that it could bring even more rain, waves and winds.