Rains trigger massive landslides in remote Indonesia, at least 64 die

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Torrential rains triggered massive landslides, burying houses and killing at least 64 people on a remote Indonesian island, government officials said Wednesday.

The landslides struck Tuesday after days of heavy rain on the island about 60 miles off the northwest coast of Sumatra, said Abdurrahman Nasution, a local government official.

Nasution said that rescue workers were on their way to Sambulu village in the island's mountainous interior, where at least 62 people were reported dead.

Police officer Lt. John Meliala said up to 800 residents were missing but could have taken shelter on high ground above flood waters.

Meliala said there were two more landslides in the south of the island, near the town of Telukdalam, killing two people.

The officials said more than 100 houses were destroyed and hundreds of other homes damaged in Sambulu. Villagers were searching through the mud and rubble for survivors.

Hendrik Gulo, another government official in Nias' main town, Gunung Sitoli, said 28 bodies had been recovered so far.

He said two rivers had burst their banks and flooded the surrounding countryside. Much of Sambulu village was still under water on Wednesday although it had stopped raining.