Eight rental villas and several shophouses were swept away by a flash flood in the Landak River tourist area in North Sumatra’s Langkat regency early on Wednesday.

There was no loss of life in the disaster, but a number of farm animals were found dead, local bystanders and officials have said, while the Selang Pangeran bridge that had become a tourist attraction on the river was also swept away in the violent washout.

Tomi Hendrik, a resident from Bahorok district, said the flash flood had passed through his area between midnight and 2 a.m. on Wednesday due to rain that had continuously poured since the morning prior.

As a result, the floodwater inundated the river and reached a depth of 5 meters.

In addition to the flood, the heavy rain also resulted in landslides at the Bukit Lawang residential complex in Bahorok VII hamlet.

No one was lost to the disaster, but residents were visibly shocked after waking up to the floodwaters, Tomi said.

“We were lucky to have saved ourselves, but most of us are still in shock after seeing the river swell up to 5 meters and decimating our villas and shops,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

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