Flood Death Toll Rises in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Nov 29 – The number of deaths from floods and landslides due to cyclonic rains on Indonesia’s Sumatra island has now reached 303, a significant increase from the earlier count of 174, according to the head of the Disaster Mitigation Agency.

This cyclone has unleashed heavy rains across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand for over a week, prompting the formation of a rare tropical cyclone in the Straits of Malacca.

Around 80,000 individuals have been evacuated from three provinces on the westernmost island of Sumatra. Meanwhile, at least 279 people remain unaccounted for, with many still stranded, as reported by agency chief Suharyanto during a press briefing.

Emergency response teams are deploying helicopters to deliver essential supplies and facilitate transportation to the northern region of the island, which has experienced the most severe landslides, disrupting roads and communication networks.

“We are focused on reopening the most critically blocked route from North Tapanuri to Sibolga in North Sumatra, a task we’ve been working on for three days now,” Suharyanto stated.

He mentioned that rescue teams are struggling to navigate road blockages caused by landslides, leaving many people in precarious situations in desperate need of aid.

To bolster relief efforts, military personnel will be increased starting Sunday.

In the central Tapanuri area, impacted individuals have reportedly attempted to loot goods amid the chaos and destruction.

The flooding in southern Thailand across the Straits of Malacca has also escalated, with the death toll rising to 162, an increase from 145, as confirmed by government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakarkiat.