Jakarta, Mar 8 (EFE).- Rescuers continued looking for 43 people missing after a rain-triggered landslide hit an Indonesian island and killed at least 12 earlier this week, the disaster management agency said.

The agency (BNPB) said the search operation focused on the parts of the Genteng village after the landslide buried several houses Monday on the remote Serasan island in the Riau archipelago on the South China Sea edge.

A handout photo made available by the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) shows rescuers searching for victims following a landslide that hit a village on Serasan Island, Natuna regency, Indonesia, 07 March 2023. EFE-EPA/BASARNAS/HO HANDOUT HANDOUT, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

A total of 1,216 people have been evacuated from the affected areas.

Bad weather after almost a week of uninterrupted rain and logistical problems hindered the rescue efforts on the island.

The disaster management agency said eight people were rescued. Four of them are seriously injured, and the other four are critical.

Photos released by the agency showed fallen trees and torn-off roofs.

Indonesia is prone to floods and landslides during the rainy season, which remains at its peak between December and February. EFE

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