KBRN, Manado: The death toll from the devastating flash floods on Siau Island, North Sulawesi, has climbed to 17 as search and rescue teams continue to scour the disaster zone for two individuals still reported missing.

The North Sulawesi National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) confirmed the updated figures on Thursday, January 8, 2026, following the recovery of a young victim and the death of a resident at an evacuation center.

Nuriadin Gumeleng, the spokesperson for North Sulawesi Basarnas, detailed the latest developments in Manado, noting that the toll rose from an initial 15 fatalities.

"The number of fatalities stands at 17, while two people remain under search. Initially, there were 15 deaths, but the count increased after one person died from illness at a shelter and another was recently discovered," said Nuriadin, as quoted by Antara.

The recently recovered victim was identified as Clayton Azriel Tatambihe, who was located by the joint SAR team on Wednesday at 11:40 a.m. local time before being returned to his family.

The ongoing search is currently focused on locating two male victims, identified as Andris Pianaung and Leonel Pianaung. While teams worked through Wednesday, January 7, 2025, the operation faced significant challenges as heavy rain and strong winds lashed the region, particularly around Bahu Sondang Village.

Due to the adverse weather conditions and the lack of sightings by 6 p.m. local time, the search was temporarily suspended. Nuriadin confirmed that operations were scheduled to resume today starting at 8 a.m. local time.

The massive rescue effort involves a multisectoral response, including North Sulawesi Basarnas, the XIII/Merdeka Regional Military Command, and the North Sulawesi Regional Police. These units are working alongside the Sitaro Islands Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), local military and police detachments, local administration officials, and community volunteers.

Nuriadin emphasized the agency's resolve to continue the search at maximum capacity to locate all remaining victims and provide aid to the devastated communities.

The catastrophe began in the early hours of Monday, January 5, 2026, when intense rainfall lasting approximately five hours triggered flash floods across several villages and subdistricts on Siau Island. ***