Padang, Indonesia—Three people died early today when a flash flood surged through a rural village in West Sumatra. Heavy rainfall overnight caused a local river to breach its banks without warning. Residents had little time to move to higher ground.

Mud and debris now cover the village center, blocking access for rescue vehicles. Local authorities reported that the water rose by over two meters in less than an hour. Neighbors spent the morning digging through the sediment to find survivors.

The provincial disaster mitigation agency deployed teams to the site shortly after dawn. Communication lines in the district remain down, complicating the coordination of aid supplies. Officers are using small boats to navigate the flooded streets.

Survivors gathered at a nearby community hall that escaped the worst of the inundation. They described the event as a sudden wall of water that swept away homes and livestock. Clothing and personal items were seen drifting downstream toward the valley.

State officials have cautioned that the risk of secondary landslides remains high. The ground is saturated and unstable in the surrounding hills. Residents were urged to evacuate if they reside near sloped terrain.

Search and rescue operations are now in their fifth hour under difficult conditions. Specialized equipment is being brought in from the provincial capital to clear the main access road. More rain is expected in the region through the evening.

Local government representatives are assessing the total damage to infrastructure and crops. Initial estimates suggest hundreds of families have lost their primary means of livelihood. The priority remains the search for any individuals still unaccounted for.

The atmosphere in the village is somber as the cleanup begins. Volunteers are distributing clean water and dry rations to those displaced by the rising tide. The full scope of the destruction is still being mapped by drones.