…as rescuers struggle to reach isolated communities
The death toll from last week’s floods in Indonesia has risen to more than 500 and rescue teams are still trying to reach several areas isolated by the disaster.
According to officials, the flooding was caused by a rare cyclone that formed over the Malacca Strait. The event has affected three provinces and around 1.4 million people. Some 500 people are still missing and thousands have been injured.
The impact in Indonesia comes as other parts of Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, also report casualties following days of heavy rain and storms.
The most affected regions in Indonesia are Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, where many communities remain isolated and without essential supplies.
Aid teams are trying to get around on foot and by motorcycle because many roads cannot accommodate larger vehicles. Images show washed away bridges, roads buried in mud and debris and logs piled up in villages.
Many survivors said they had gone days without food. Some communities report that they have not received any supplies. In central Aceh, where Starlink devices have been installed, thousands of people lined up outside the regency office on Sunday night to call relatives or charge their phones.
As rescue efforts continue, frustration with the government’s response is growing. Critics argued that authorities were unprepared for flooding of this scale and that bureaucratic delays are slowing food distribution.
President Prabowo Subianto, who visited North Sumatra on Monday, acknowledged that road access remains a problem, but said “we are doing everything we can to overcome the difficulties.”
“We face this disaster with resilience and solidarity,” he added. “Our nation is strong right now and capable of getting through this.”
The monsoon season in Indonesia, from November to March, usually brings heavy rain. Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of storms, causing heavier rain, flash flooding and stronger winds.
(BBC)
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