More than 75 people have died as a result of multiple disasters triggered by torrential rains in eastern Indonesia, which have turned small villages into mudslides and uprooted trees. Officials said on Monday that more than 40 people were missing after flash floods and landslides struck Indonesia and neighboring East Timor.

The deluge and ensuing landslides, caused by torrential rain, drove thousands of people into shelters as dams overflowed and their homes were submerged. Rescue teams also found it difficult to reach stranded survivors due to mud and persistent bad weather.

"Almost 55 people killed, but this figure is fluctuating and will undoubtedly change. 42 people are still missing," Raditya Jati, Indonesia disaster management agency spokesperson told MetroTV.

East Timor, a 1.3 million-strong half-island nation sandwiched between Indonesia and Australia, has also lost at least 21 people. Dili, Timor's flooded capital, was home to many of the victims.

Mud has washed over houses, bridges, and roads in Indonesia's remote East Flores municipality and heavy waves have made it impossible for search and rescue teams to reach the worst-affected areas.

Three people were killed and seven others went missing in another village, Waiburak after overnight rains caused rivers to burst their banks, flooding large areas of East Flores district, according to Ola. A nearby health center was treating four injured people.

Rains triggered cold lava to tumble down the slopes of the Ili Lewotolok volcano and strike many villages, raising the death toll to 55 by Monday morning, according to Jati. The tragedy on Lembata island killed at least 11 people and buried at least 16 others under tonnes of cold lava. Since the volcano erupted in November, the lava was left behind.

According to Jati, hundreds of people were still engaged in the rescue operations as of late Sunday. Flash floods and a landslide that destroyed five bridges on the island have impacted at least six villages, he said. The agency released images of rescuers, police, and military forces moving people to shelters.

Authorities were still gathering data on the full extent of casualties and damage in the impacted regions, according to Jati. In Bima, a town in the neighboring province of West Nusa Tenggara, severe flooding has forced nearly 10,000 people to evacuate.

In Indonesia, a 17,000-island archipelago where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains, seasonal rains often cause flooding and landslides.

President Joko Widodo of Indonesia shared his "heartfelt condolences" over the tragedy. In a nationwide address, he said, "I recognize the intense sorrow felt by our brothers and sisters as a result of this tragedy."

Residents throughout the area have flocked to makeshift shelters or found refuge in what was left of their homes. "The evacuees are scattered. Hundreds of people live in each sub-district, but many more remain at home "Alfons Hada Bethan, the head of the East Flores disaster agency, confirmed this.

"They need medical attention, food, and blankets. In East Timor, 2,500 people had been evacuated. The search for survivors was hampered by torrential rains. We believe many people are dead, but we don't know how many are still missing." Bethan confirms.