Disasters and the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic have claimed nearly 4,000 lives in Indonesia since the start of this year, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

Sriwijaya Air’s passenger plane coded SJ 182 en route from Jakarta to West Kalimantan’s Pontianak crashed into the sea on 9 January, killing 62 people onboard.

The same day, a landslide occurred in Cihanjuang of West Java’s Sumedang district, claiming 32 lives while eight others went missing.

Flooding in South Kalimantan three days later submerged at least 10 districts and cities. Five people were killed as of 17 January.

A number of earthquakes and aftermaths hit Majene district and the coastal city of Mamuju in West Sulawesi on 14 - 15 January. The death toll has risen to 81, including 70 in Mamuju.

Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities has been on the rise. From the beginning of 2021 to 17 January, Indonesia logged additional 164,731 cases.

The Ministry of Health on 18 January announced that the country has reported a total 917,015 cases, with 26,282 deaths.

Source: VNA