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Banda Aceh. A local official said at least 13 bodies have been found following major flash floods late on Thursday evening in the Tangse region of Pidie district in Aceh.

Pidie district councilor Khairil Syahrial, who has arrived at the scene, told the Jakarta Globe the death toll may still rise as many are still missing.  
 
Pidie district head Nazir Adam said earlier on Friday that eight had initially been reported missing after more than 100 homes had been destroyed by the waters.

"There is a possibility that the numbers [of missing] will go up considerably because, so far, we have been unable to gain access to a hamlet on the other side of the river, because of the floods," Nazir said in a telephone interview.

The villages hit hardest by the floods include Layan, Peunalom Satu, Peunalom Dua, Blang Dalam and Blang Bungong. Thousands, Nazir said, have been forced to evacuate to neighboring villages uneffected by the waters. Tangse is a district in the hills of Pidie, some 180 kilometers from the region's capital, Banda Aceh.

"We believe these floods are a result of illegal logging over the past several years. The proof? Look at the massive numbers of logs strewn across the roads and streets [of most of the affected] villages," said Nazir.  
This story is developing.