Death toll due to tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara rises to 138

Members of Search and Rescue (SAR) team evacuate a victim of flash floods and landslides in Flores Timur district, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.(Basarnas in Maumere/Handout via Xinhua)

At least 138 people have died in flash floods and landslides as tropical cyclone Seroja made landfall in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.

JAKARTA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 138 people died and 61 others are still missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by tropical cyclone Seroja in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, the National Disaster Management Agency said on Wednesday.

The agency's head Doni Monardo disclosed that the deaths were reported in East Flores district (67), Alor district (25), Malaka district (4), Lembata district (32), Kupang district (5), Sabu Raijua district (2), and one each in Ende district, Kupang city, and Ngada district.

Members of Search and Rescue (SAR) team evacuate a victim of flash floods and landslides in Flores Timur district, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.(Basarnas in Maumere/Handout via Xinhua)

"The evacuation process is the most difficult measure in Lembata and Alor. We are struggling to mobilize heavy equipment units such as excavators and trucks to move very large boulders," Monardo said.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency said such extreme weather as heavy rains, strong winds, and high sea waves of up to 6 meters occurred after the tropical cyclone Seroja was swirled in the Savu Sea, south of East Nusa Tenggara province with a peak on April 5.

Photo taken on April 4, 2021 shows the damage of flash flood and landslide in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. (BNPB/Handout via Xinhua)

Currently, Seroja moves away from Indonesia's territory, but the impact would still be felt in a number of provinces in the southern part of the country for the next a few days.

"Residents in the provinces of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Java, Yogyakarta, and Central Java must watch out," the agency's head Dwikorita Karnawati said.

Seroja is the 10th tropical cyclone hitting Indonesia since 2008 but had the worst impact as it made landfall.