FLOODS TRIGGERED BY HEAVY RAIN KILLED 22 PEOPLE IN CENTRAL INDONESIA, THE SECOND SUCH DISASTER IN THE SPRAWLING NATION IN LESS THAN A WEEK, A POLICE OFFICER SAID MONDAY. MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHERS WERE MISSING AFTER THE FLOODS TORE THROUGH FOUR VILLAGES ON THE SMALL ISLAND OF LAUT, WHICH LIES OFF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BORNEO ISLAND, SAID THE OFFICER, WHO GAVE HIS NAME AS ANDI. SEASONAL DOWNPOURS CAUSE DOZENS OF LANDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODS EACH YEAR IN INDONESIA, WHERE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIVE IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OR NEAR FERTILE FLOOD PLAINS CLOSE TO RIVERS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED. LAST WEEK, FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES KILLED MORE THAN 210 PEOPLE ON SULAWESI ISLAND, JUST EAST OF BORNEO.
