Secretary-General laments loss of life in Indonesian flash floods

Secretary-General Kofi Annan sent his condolences today to the many victims of flash floods in Indonesia earlier this week as the United Nations sent staff to the affected area to help coordinate the emergency response.

A spokesman for Mr. Annan issued a statement in New York saying the Secretary-General was deeply saddened by the loss of 74 lives in the floods that struck the Langkat district of northern Sumatra on Sunday night and Monday morning.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), meanwhile, has deployed a two-person team to Langkat to help in the emergency response and assess the needs of survivors.

OCHA said in a statement that the floods were triggered by a combination of heavy rains and severe deforestation. Local police estimate that the death toll will rise given that the number of missing people is 200.

The Indonesian Red Cross and the Indonesian Government have been providing emergency assistance to the victims, while teams from the non-governmental organizations International Medical Corps and the Mercy Corps have been providing medical help.