Jakarta, March 3 (Xinhua) At least 16 people were killed and 43 reported missing in landslides triggered by heavy rains in Indonesia early Saturday, an official said.

The Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (IDMA) reported that the torrential rains since Thursday triggered heavy landslides Saturday morning in six districts of Mangarai regency, destroying houses and disrupting road connectivity.

The heavy rains hampered rescue efforts in the isolated areas, an IDMA official told Xinhua.

The rains have also triggered floods in Reok district.

Landslides and floods occur frequently in Indonesia because of inadequate forest cover, resulting in soil erosion and water overflow.