Twelve drowned in flash flood

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Twelve people drowned and 12 others went missing in a flash flood that swept the Aikmel subdistrict on Thursday, officials said yesterday.

The Tanggik River overflowed following a two-hour downpour, spokesman for the East Lombok regency government Abdul Kadir told the Antara news agency.

Local senior officials, including regent M. Sadir, went to the stricken areas to monitor the search and rescue operations on Thursday, he said.

Jadir said the flood also caused damage to local houses and agricultural fields. The total financial loss has yet to be calculated. (pan)