The four were reportedly found dead in the house, which was buried by a landslide following heavy rain.

'€œThe family sometimes spent the night at the house, where the parents made palm sugar. They usually returned to the family home on the weekend,'€ Fatma Suleman, Karsum'€™s mother, said.

Floodwater also inundated hit Pinomotiga, Uabanga and Tongo villages, where it swept away a mosque, an elementary schoolhouse and a bridge.

At least 128 houses were flooded, nine of which were severely damaged. Fifty-three people from the three villages are being housed in a local shelter.

Bone Bolango Regent Hamiem Pou, who visited the villages, said widespread forest clearing had damaged the environment and had contributed to the landslide and floods.

'€œI have received reports from local residents that forest clearing is backed by the local military and police officers. Of course, we still need to clarify this,'€ he said on Saturday.

Hamiem said the local administration did not have emergency funds to deal with the catastrophe. He went on to say that the regency administration would rely on its Rp 1.3 billion annual budget to assist those affected by the floods.(dic)

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