2019 Jayapura flood and landslide

The flash flooding, which struck the Sentani district of Jayapura Regency, was triggered by torrential rainfall followed by landslide.[3] The event occurred around 21:30 WIT (12:30 UTC) on 16 March, and sudden influx of water was expected to have originated from the Cyclops Mountains, which according to BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho was likely caused by a landslide forming a dam blocking the headwaters of a river, which then burst resulting in the torrential flow.[4] The floodwaters swept away with it significant amounts of material, including uprooted trees and boulders.[5] An increase in the water depth of the local Kemiri River was reported shortly afterwards, resulting in buildings near the river being inundated.[6] Jayapura regent Mathius Awoitauw stated that the flooding was caused by environmental damage in the Cyclops Mountains.[7]

Separately, around 00:15 WIT on 17 March, a landslide occurred in the city of Jayapura.[8] The second event was similarly attributed to the torrential rainfall.[9]

By afternoon of 17 March, the Papua regional police had confirmed 70 fatalities, 63 of which were in Jayapura Regency while 7 were in the city of Jayapura. A total of 105 were confirmed to have been injured, with 75 being classified as "lightly injured" and 30 as "heavily injured".[10] Later that day, the death toll was updated to 73, of which 66 were in the Regency, with 60 reported to be missing.[11] The most-affected area is Sentani, where at least 51 people are reported to have been killed.[12] Most of the victims' bodies were brought to the Bhayangkara Hospital in Jayapura for identification and collection by relatives.[13]

On evening the following day, 89 people had been confirmed killed: 82 due to the flash flooding and 7 from the landslide. 159 injuries (84 classified as "heavy" and 75 as "light") were also confirmed, with 74 reported missing.[2] By 19 March, the death toll was further updated to 92 dead.[14] On Wednesday, 20 March, the death toll was further increased to 104 killed with 79 missing, and 40 of the unidentified victims were to be buried in a mass grave.[15]

On 26 March, the death toll rose to 113.[1]

Over 11,000 people from across the regency were displaced due to the flooding, spread across 28 sites,[16] with 11,725 households impacted across three districts.[2] The flooding affected nine villages and damaged three bridges, submerging more than 150 houses.[17] The administrative villages of Dobonsolo, Doyobaru and Hini Kumbi were the most affected.[18] Papua's police recorded that 350 houses were heavily damaged, with additional damages to drainage systems and other public facilities.[19] The Sentani–Kemiri road was blocked due to the flooding.[5]

Sentani's Adventis Doyo airstrip was also struck by the flooding, damaging a helicopter and a Twin Otter aircraft parked there at the time of the disaster.[20] Operations of the nearby Sentani Airport remained normal, despite its surrounding areas being impacted by the flooding.[21] According to PLN, the transmission of around 5.2 MW of electricity was disrupted.[22] Total damage of the flooding in Sentani topped at Rp454 billion (US$31.8 million).[23]

The emergency response headquarters, which also acted as a temporary shelter, were established at the Jayapura Regent's office complex.[24] Papua's provincial government declared a 2-week emergency response period following the disaster.[17] Kodam XVII/Cenderawasih deployed the equivalent of 2 engineering platoons and 6 infantry companies to aid with evacuation and disaster management.[25] In total, around 1,900 emergency workers and volunteers were deployed to the area.[14]