Sumatra floods, landslides leave 17 dead, 6 missing

RESCUERS recovered more bodies in the search for dozens of people buried under landslides or swept away after torrential rains unleashed flash floods and triggered landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island, increasing the death toll to 17 and leaving six people missing, officials said on Wednesday.

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Teams were struggling to reach affected areas in six regencies of North Sumatra province after the monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks, tearing through hilly villages as mud, rocks and trees tumbled down, leaving destruction in their wake, the National Police said in a statement.