JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has confirmed that the emergency disaster response status has been imposed in the Siau Islands Regency, Tagulandang, and Biaro (Sitaro), North Sulawesi (Sulut), following flash floods that hit the area.
Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, said that the local government had set a Meteorological Hydrological Disaster Emergency Response Status that was valid for 14 days, starting from January 5 - 18, 2026.
The determination of the status is contained in the Keputusan Bupati Kabupaten Kepulauan Sitaro Number 1/2026 and is the basis for accelerating emergency handling in the affected areas.
Abdul Muhari said that until now, the conditions on the ground were still being handled intensively, with priority on the search for missing victims and the fulfillment of the basic needs of disaster-affected communities.
The BNPB Operations Control Center confirmed that at least 16 people had died as of Tuesday (6/1) at 14.00 WIB, three people were reported missing, and in the process of being searched by a joint team due to flash floods that occurred on Monday (5/1) early morning.
BNPB noted that flash floods were triggered by heavy intensity rain that hit the area since early morning, causing the river to overflow suddenly at around 02.30 WITA and impacting four sub-districts, namely Siau Timur, Siau Tengah, Siau Barat, and Siau Barat Selatan.
According to Abdul, hundreds of residents from the affected areas were forced to evacuate to safer places in the accompaniment of a joint team of officers. The provisional data recorded about 682 people evacuated, while five victims were identified and the identity of other victims is still in the process of identification.
At least 22 residents received treatment at the local health center and two were referred to a hospital in Manado City for further medical treatment due to the injuries they suffered.
In addition, as many as seven residents' houses were also reported to have been washed away and more than 120 houses were damaged lightly to heavily, including damage to road access as well as a number of buildings and infrastructure.
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