Flash flood hits Indonesia's Aceh, no casualty

A flash flood has hit Pidie regency of Indonesia's Aceh province but left no casualty, a local official said on Sunday. The flash flood hit Tangse sub-district following a heavy rain at 18:30 local time (1130 GMT) on Saturday. Apriadi, head of Aceh Disaster Management Agency (BPBA) of Pidie regency, told Xinhua by phone that a person who had been reportedly missing on Saturday was found safe on Sunday. "Following the same accident on March 10, 2011, people are more aware. Besides, our socialization program runs well. So when it rains heavily, people leave their houses," said Apriadi. He added that 18 houses were washed away while several others were severely damaged. Earlier in the day, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of Data Center, Information and Public Relation at the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), said in a statement that the BPBA of Pidie regency and related institutions had been in the location since Saturday night to take emergency measures and evacuate people to safer places.