Death toll from Indonesia's landslides rises to 25

JAKARTA -- The casualties of the landslides in Indonesia's western province of Riau Islands increased to 25, with 33 others missing, a disaster agency official said on Thursday.

Monday's search and rescue mission for the victims of the natural disaster hitting the Natuna Regency continued, as heavy machinery has arrived and been used to support the mission, said Syariffuddin Muhammad, secretary of the Natuna disaster management and mitigation agency.

"Of the total 25 bodies, 21 of them have been identified. The number of casualties may still rise with the search going on," he told Xinhua via phone.

About 1,300 people fled home after the landslides destroyed houses on Monday, according to a release from the national disaster management and mitigation agency.

Head of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency Suharyanto said that about 100 families would be relocated.