Death toll reaches 16 in North Sulawesi as floods and landslides impact Indonesia
The death toll from flash floods in North Sulawesi rose to 16 after floods and landslides affected several Indonesian provinces between January 5 and 7, 2026, destroying hundreds of homes and affecting more than 4 000 people, BNPB reported.
BPBD Sitaro Islands Regency together with a joint team carrying out efforts to search for missing victims, evacuate affected residents on January 5, 2026. Credit: BPBD/BNPB
The death toll rose to 16 following deadly flash floods that struck Sitaro Islands Regency on January 5, displacing hundreds, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
At least 22 people were injured by the flooding, which washed away seven homes, severely damaged 29 homes, and lightly damaged 112 housing units.
The floods impacted at least four sub-districts, including East Siau, Central Siau, West Siau, and Southwest Siau districts, with affected areas spread across two sub-districts and six villages.
It's never ending!
— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) January 7, 2026
Major flooding in Ibu District, West Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province, Indonesia today. pic.twitter.com/1PDbSK3brO
The BNPB reported that multiple flooding disasters struck Indonesia between January 5 and 7. Around 320 homes in Way Khilau District of Pesawaran Regency were damaged by flash floods that struck the region at around 21:00 local time (LT) on January 5.
Floodwaters reached a height of 70 cm (28 inches) in Mada Jaya Village, while in Penengahan Village the water level was approximately 30 cm (12 inches) on January 5. Flooding continued to affect Mada Jaya Village but began to recede in Penengahan Village on January 6.
Severe flooding has hit West Halmahera, North Maluku, with floodwaters rising as high as houses.
— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) January 7, 2026
Days of heavy rain have forced residents to climb onto rooftops to escape, triggered landslides in some areas, and left several access roads impassable. pic.twitter.com/oFSjXKDykl
A landslide was reported in the Mount Kaupas area of Cibodas Village, in Padarincang District, Serang Regency, at around 10:40 LT on January 6. The slide occurred about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the nearest residential area.
Flooding was also reported in Nunukan Regency in North Kalimantan, where at least 10 villages across three sub-districts were reportedly submerged. The flooding affected 4 461 people across Sembakung, Lumbis, and Sebuku districts.
At least nine schools and nine public healthcare facilities, along with two temples, were also affected by flooding across the three districts.
Read more:
Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.
Published in the last 24 hours
- In September 1859, a solar storm lit up the night sky so brightly that gold miners in the Rocky Mountains woke up after midnight and started cooking breakfast, convinced the aurora glowing over their camp was the sunrise Epicenter
- A patch of warm Pacific water that could become the strongest El Niño in more than 70 years sits thousands of miles from any American town, yet it is already the main reason NOAA expects a wetter winter across the South and a milder one across the North
- A 19-year-old Nebraska teacher reportedly tied her pupils together with twine and led them to safety through a blizzard in January 1888 Epicenter
- NASA built the Opportunity rover to last 90 days on Mars, and Martian winds helped keep it alive for nearly 15 years by blowing dust off its solar panels, until a planet-wide dust storm in 2018 blocked sunlight and silenced the rover Epicenter
