Landslides and floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 24 people in Indonesia's eastern city of Manado, search and rescue officials said on Wednesday.

The disaster occurred on Tuesday in the North Sulawesi provincial capital, where parts of the city were inundated with one-metre (three foot) high floodwaters after hours of rain.

Most of the dead were buried by mud from landslides in hilly parts of the city.

"Today we found four bodies so the total is now 24," said Rinaldi, a search and rescue official in Manado, about 2,200 km (1,365 miles) northeast of Jakarta.

Another search and rescue official on the scene in the seaside city said rescuers were still searching for survivors.

Floods and landslides are common in Indonesia, especially during the wet season. Many landslides are caused by illegal logging or the clearing of farmland that strips away natural barriers to such disasters.

Landslides killed at least 130 people on Java island last month.

PHOTO CAPTION

Villagers search the scene of landslides in Indonesia's eastern city of Manado February 21, 2006. (REUTERS)