Bad weather and damaged communication lines have hampered search and rescue efforts after a massive landslide struck a remote island in northern Indonesia.

The country's disaster mitigation agency said the slide occurred Monday morning on Serasan Island, part of the Natuna archipelago in the South China Sea.

The agency said scores of houses were buried under mud and debris. At least 10 people have been confirmed dead, 8 others injured and 42 missing. More than 1,200 people have evacuated the area.

The annual monsoon season has triggered disasters around the region. Tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes in neighboring Malaysia, where downpours have been causing floods since last week.

nhk