12 killed as landslides hit Indonesia's Bali

Two other landslides occurred in two villages in Bangli district of Indonesia's resort Island of Bali earlier Friday, leaving the total casualty of the disaster in the district to 12 people with five persons wounded, China's Xinhua news agency reported disaster agency official as saying.

The two landslides took place in Awan and Sukawana villages, killing five villagers and injuring another person, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster agency told Xinhua via phone.

Hours earlier, Sutopo said seven people were killed and four others sustained injury as landslides hit five houses in Songan village of the district at 11pm local time Thursday.

All the bodies have been recovered and the wounded persons have been rushed to a nearby hospital, he added.

Emergency relief efforts have been undertaken, involving soldiers, police, personnel of local search and rescue office and disaster management agency office as well as Red Cross, Sutopo said.

The disaster agency warned people in the district and the districts of Jembrana, Buleleng, Badung, Tabanan and Gianyar over other possible landslide, floods and whirlwinds as heavy rains are forecast to continue by Saturday, he said.

Indonesia is frequently hit by landslide and flood during heavy rains. -- Bernama