Floods in Indonesia leave at least 67 dead and 20 missing

(AFP / VOZ MEDIA) Rescue teams found new bodies on Tuesday due to the floods and the flow of "cold lava" that occurred over the weekend on an Indonesian island, bringing the toll of this catastrophe to 67 dead and 20 missing.

Hours of intense rain caused flooding and slides of ash, sand and rock from Mount Marapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes located on the island of Sumatra.

"According to police identification efforts, 67 people were killed," Ilham Wahab, head of West Sumatra's disaster management agency, told AFP. Twenty people are still missing, he added. The previous death toll was 57 dead and 22 missing. The agency warns that the number of victims may still rise.

"The data will continue to evolve. To find those who are still missing, heavy machinery must arrive as soon as possible," the disaster management agency announced. The agency spokesperson said 71 homes were completely leveled and 125 severely damaged by flooding and the cold lava flow.

Cold lava, also known as lahar, is made up of volcanic material such as ash, sand and pebbles that are washed away by rain. Floods affected four districts in West Sumatra, according to authorities.

Marapi is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. It last erupted in December, sending a cloud of ash roughly 10,000 feet high.