Young children among 12 killed in tourist island mudslide

Twelve people, including young children, have been killed in landslides on the tourist island of Bali that wiped out several homes, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said.

Landslides caused by sustained torrential rain hit three villages in mountainous areas of Bangli district, the agency's spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Members of two families were among those killed in Songan village, including a one-year-old boy, his seven-year-old sister and their mother.

Four people were killed in Awan village and one person died in Sukawana village.

The agency said more heavy rains are likely in Bali and people should be aware of the possibility of landslides and floods.

Two people in Songan village were taken to hospital with severe injuries, two others suffered minor injuries and five homes were buried.

The resort island is Indonesia's best-known tourist destination and is famous for its Hindu culture, white beaches and lush green interior.

Rains often cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago where millions of people live in mountainous areas or on flood plains near rivers.