Indonesia: Death toll from N.Sumatra floods rises to 5

JAKARTA, Indonesia

The death toll from floods in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province has climbed to five, the National Search and Rescue Agency said Friday.

Sariman Sitorus, a spokesman for the agency in the provincial capital Medan, said among the casualties are a man, three women, and a child, all previously classified as missing.

"One other person is still missing,” Sariman told Anadolu Agency.

The Medan Regional Disaster Management Agency said heavy rainfall since Thursday night has caused four rivers – the Sunggal, Deli, Babura and Denai – to overflow, submerging nearby houses and streets.

An estimated 6,000 people were affected by the floods.

As of Friday noon, a total of 181 people have been rescued, including 50 children, 38 toddlers, 67 adults and 26 elderly people.

Affected areas include Medan Maimun, Medan Johor, Medan Selayang, Medan Tuntung, Medan Baru, Medan Petisah, and Medan Polonia.