Heavy rain in Indonesia over the weekend triggered flash flooding and despatched torrents of chilly lava coursing down a volcano and into cities, killing no less than 37 individuals, officers mentioned.

Hours of rain on Saturday night time carried volcanic rock and ash down Mount Marapi, an active volcano on the island of Sumatra. These mudslides are generally known as lahars in Indonesian, which interprets to chilly lava.

The rain additionally prompted a close-by river to overflow.

4 areas on the western a part of Sumatra had been badly impacted, based on Indonesia’s catastrophe administration company. Practically 200 homes had been inundated and 159 individuals had been evacuated, the company said. A number of the flooding left mud deposits excessive sufficient to achieve an grownup’s calves, it said.

By Sunday night time, 37 residents had been killed and one other 17 had been lacking, the company mentioned.