Indonesia: Floods and cold lava from Marapi volcano kill 37

At least 37 people were killed after flash floods and cold lava flowing from a volcano hit the western Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Hours of heavy rain on Saturday swept torrents of ash and rocks down Mount Marapi, the most active volcano in Sumatra.

The cold lava mudslides inundated two districts, swept people to their deaths and damaged more than 100 homes, mosques and public facilities.

Authorities say the death toll could increase given 18 people are missing.

Survivors recounted how they fled as the cold lava – a mixture of volcanic material and pebbles that flow down a volcano’s slopes in the rain – flowed towards their homes.

“I heard the thunder and the sound similar to boiling water. It was the sound of big rocks falling from Mount Marapi,” Rina Devina, a 43-year-old housewife from the Agam district told AFP news agency.

“It was pitch black, so I used my cellphone as a torch. The road was muddy, so I chanted ‘God, have mercy’ over and over again,” Ms Devina said.

The mother of three added that a neighbour’s house had been “flattened by big rocks” and four of her neighbours died.

By Sunday afternoon, rescuers had found 19 bodies in the worst-hit village of Canduang in Agam district and recovered nine other bodies in the neighbouring district of Tanah Datar, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Berliana Reskyka, another Agam resident, spoke of his experiences helping his injured neighbours.

“There were some who were crying, hysterical, because some of their family members were not yet accounted for. There were also those who discovered their loved ones have died,” Berliana told BBC Indonesian.