SUMATRA, Indonesia: The death toll from flash flooding and landslides on Sumatra island, Indonesia has climbed to 26, with at least 11 people still missing.
The disaster was triggered by torrential rains on Thursday in West Sumatra province, leading to overflowing rivers and engulfing homes in landslides.
Abdul Muhari, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, confirmed the latest figures, stating that 26 people have been found dead while 11 others remain missing. The district of Pesisir Selatan reported 23 fatalities and six individuals still unaccounted for, according to Fajar Sukma from West Sumatra’s disaster mitigation agency. Additionally, three victims were discovered in Padang Pariaman district, which also suffered significant damage.
Rescue operations have been challenging due to ongoing extreme weather conditions and intermittent electricity supply. Sukma noted that the search and rescue efforts are ongoing despite the rain, acknowledging the possibility of a further rise in casualties as the situation unfolds.
As of Sunday, rescuers have succeeded in accessing the most affected areas and providing assistance to evacuees, including tents, medicines, and instant food. However, the disaster has caused extensive damage to hundreds of houses, bridges, mosques, and other public facilities in the affected regions.
Indonesia is susceptible to landslides during the rainy season, exacerbated by factors such as deforestation. Prolonged heavy rainfall has led to flooding in various parts of the archipelago nation. The recent disaster follows a similar incident in December, where landslides and floods claimed lives and caused significant destruction near Lake Toba on Sumatra.
