Four children were reported missing after being swept away by the waters of a stream in eastern Timor-Leste due to heavy rains in the country in recent days, civil protection reported today.
The first data indicates that the four children were swept away by the waters in the Odufuro Luro area, in the municipality of Lautem, one of the several regions of the country affected by the storm, he added.
The children, from the village of Lereadu, were returning home from school when they were swept away by the waters of a stream that crept up the banks.
Civil Protection teams have been responding to emergencies in various parts of the country, with floods affecting dozens of families, collapsed bridges, and severely damaged roads.
In Manufahi, flooding affected at least ten families, who had to be relocated, while in Covalima, part of the road between Suai and Zumalai collapsed due to a landslide.
In the municipality of Ainaro, in Same, there are reports of collapsed bridges and flooding affecting several families in various places, with civil protection teams and local authorities providing emergency support, including with relocation and food.
Between January and July, 20 people died in Timor-Leste as a result of natural disasters, including floods, fires and landslides, which also damaged the homes of nearly 1,200 people, according to a report by the Civil Protection Authority.
Source: TSF
