A search and rescue team on Wednesday discovered the bodies of two victims who had been declared missing after landslides hit Palopo, South Sulawesi, last Sunday.
The two were identified as Ira, 13, and Faisal, 14.
Palopo municipal administration spokesman Hermawan Irfan confirmed the bodies of the two victims were found at around 9 a.m. local time Wednesday in the Bambulu River, 8 kilometers from the disaster location.
"We believe they had been swept away by mud into the river," he said.
The discovery of the two bodies brings the death toll from Sunday's landslides that buried Tanete village, Palopo, to 13.
Irfan said six survivors were still being treated at Sawerigading Hospital in Palopo. Their conditions were reportedly improving.
The landslides occurred after a torrential downpour drenched the area over the weekend.
Fresh landslides hit villages near Palopo on Tuesday following more heavy rain, forcing more than 1,000 people to seek refuge.
Palopo Mayor Pateddungi Andi Tenri Ajeng said he had ordered the evacuation as the people lived on or below mountain slopes, making them vulnerable to landslides that might strike at any moment.
The refugees are sheltering in two school buildings, two mosques, a church and two large tents.
The mayor said his administration would relocate the families to safer places, but it would require a huge budget. "We will work with the Social Services Ministry to relocate the residents," he said.
The mayor could not say when the refugees could return home as conditions remained unsafe.
"The terrain is still unstable. The area remains susceptible to landslides, especially after rain. It currently rains every night, so we don't want risk allowing them to return home at the moment," said Irfan, adding relief supplies so far were adequate to last the next three days.
South Sulawesi Police have dispatched relief aid and around 200 personnel to the disaster area to help clear the Palopo-Tana Toraja stretch of highway, which was severed by the landslide.
An 18 kilometer section of the road has been cut off, parts of which were buried by the landslide while others areas were destroyed and must be rebuilt.
Irfan said the most urgent task was to clear the road to expedite access to landslide-affected areas.
"We are able to clear 5 kilometers of road buried by the landslide. We need heavy machinery and personnel immediately to help open access," he said.
Irfan said his office was in dire need of assistance from the central government and the South Sulawesi administration to restore damaged infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, as well as repairing houses and relocating residents away from landslide-prone areas.
