Fourteen killed as flash floods hit remote Siau Island in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province

INDONESIA: At least fourteen people have been confirmed dead after devastating flash floods swept through residential areas on Siau Island, part of the Siau Tagulandang Biaro (Sitaro) Islands Regency in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, in the early hours of Monday, 5 January 2026.

The disaster has also left dozens injured, displaced hundreds of residents, and caused extensive damage to homes and public infrastructure across several districts.

According to Colonel Daniel E. S. Lalawi, Head of Information for Kodam XIII/Merdeka, 25 people were injured in the floods, while one resident remains missing and is still being searched for by joint rescue teams.

“Thirty-five households, comprising 108 people, have been forced to evacuate to shelters prepared by the local government,” Daniel said in Manado, as quoted by Antara.

The floods caused severe destruction across Siau Island.

A total of 64 houses were reported damaged—ranging from minor to severe—while at least 21 homes were completely swept away by fast-moving floodwaters.

In several locations, key road links have been cut off after being buried under mud, rocks and fallen timber, rendering them impassable to both motorcycles and cars and significantly hampering relief efforts.

Military, police and local authorities mobilised

In response to the disaster, the Indonesian military deployed two platoons to assist with emergency operations.

Personnel movements to the island are being conducted using the Lokon Banua ferry operated by the Sitaro regional administration via the PSDP Bitung Pier.

“Kodam XIII/Merdeka, through the Commander of Military District 1301/Sangihe, has instructed the Commander of Koramil 1301-02/Siau and all available personnel to be directly deployed to affected locations,” Daniel said.

The troops are working alongside the police and local authorities to carry out search-and-rescue operations, evacuate victims and support emergency response efforts.

North Sulawesi Governor Yulius Selvanus said he had ordered his administration to immediately send heavy equipment and essential supplies to the island.

These include baby necessities, aid for elderly residents, clothing, mattresses and food.

“The North Sulawesi provincial government will be present and provide full support for affected communities, both during the emergency response and the post-disaster recovery phase,” Yulius said.

He added that response operations are currently being led by the Sitaro Regency Government in coordination with the military, police and local residents.

Heavy rain triggers deadly flash floods

The flash floods were triggered by continuous, high-intensity rainfall that lashed the Sitaro region for approximately five hours.

As a result, water mixed with soil, rocks and timber overflowed from upstream areas and surged through densely populated neighbourhoods.

The impact was particularly severe in East Siau District, where both urban villages and rural settlements were inundated.

Affected areas include Paniki, Paseng and Bahu urban villages, as well as the villages of Bumbiha, Peling, Laghaeng, Batusenggo, Beong and Salili. 

Beyond the loss of life, many residents have lost their homes, livelihoods and access to basic services.

In response to the scale of the disaster, the Sitaro Regency Government has declared a 14-day disaster emergency response status to accelerate rescue, relief distribution and early recovery efforts.

Public Works Ministry deploys heavy equipment

The Ministry of Public Works has also moved to repair damaged infrastructure and support emergency operations. Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said his ministry had mobilised all available resources following the floods, which struck at around 3.00 a.m. Central Indonesian Time.

“The Ministry of Public Works is committed to addressing the impacts of these flash floods. The safety and recovery of affected residents are our top priorities,” Dody said in Jakarta on Tuesday, 6 January.

As part of a rapid response, two units of heavy equipment have been placed on standby at the site, while three additional excavators from Manado are being prepared for immediate deployment.

These machines are expected to play a crucial role in clearing debris, reopening blocked roads and assisting evacuation and search efforts.

Sugeng Harianto, Head of the Sulawesi I River Basin Authority in Manado, said coordination with field officers across the island chain remains intensive.

“We have secured a vessel to travel to Siau Island and plan to immediately send additional heavy equipment. Some machinery is already operating in the field,” he said.

Indonesia’s archipelagic geography has complicated logistics, particularly the transport of heavy equipment by sea.

Nevertheless, coordination is ongoing with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) to ensure access to affected areas is restored as quickly as possible.

Social Affairs Ministry sends aid as evacuees shelter

The Ministry of Social Affairs has dispatched logistical assistance to affected communities in coordination with local governments. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, popularly known as Gus Ipul, said the aid was shipped by sea on the evening of 5 January.

The assistance includes mattresses, blankets, roll-up tents, family kits, children’s kits, ready-to-eat meals, side dishes and 500 kilograms of rice.

Four districts—East Siau, South East Siau, West Siau and South West Siau—have been identified as affected.

For now, evacuees are sheltering in several locations, including Betabara Paseng Church and the Ulu Museum, which together are hosting more than 390 people.

Local authorities have also issued Disaster Emergency Decree No. 1 of 2026, declaring a flash flood emergency response period from 5 to 18 January 2026.

Police facilities also damaged

The floods also inflicted damage on government facilities. Sitaro Islands Police Chief Iwan Permadi said the regional police headquarters was among the worst-hit sites, with debris burying around half of the compound.

“Fifty per cent of the main building and its supporting facilities are currently buried under rocks, soil and timber,” he said, adding that moderate to heavy rain was still falling across the region as of Monday afternoon, raising concerns over further flooding.