Indonesia Floods Kill Over 700, Force 1 Million to Evacuate
Over 1 million people evacuated as floods and landslides devastate Sumatra, leaving hundreds dead and missing
- Floods and landslides in Sumatra have killed 708 people
- Aid and rescue efforts are hampered by blocked roads, broken bridges, and inaccessible areas, while food shortages threaten survivors
- Extreme weather worsened by tropical storms highlights climate change impacts
The death toll from floods and landslides on Sumatra island, Indonesia, has risen to 708, with 504 people still missing, the country’s disaster agency reported on Tuesday.
The figure marks a sharp increase from the 604 deaths reported the previous day.
The devastation comes amid heavy monsoon rains and tropical cyclones across Asia, affecting Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and southern Thailand. The extreme weather has killed more than 1,300 people, destroyed infrastructure, and inundated towns across the region.
In Indonesia alone, about 3.2 million people have been affected, with 2,600 injured and 1 million evacuated from high-risk areas. Initial death estimates had reached 753, but authorities revised the figure down to 708 on Tuesday evening.
Aid efforts face major challenges as response teams struggle with blocked roads and damaged bridges. Some areas, including Tapanuli Tengah in North Sumatra and Agam in Aceh, remain inaccessible, according to Unicef.
In Aceh, markets are running out of essentials such as rice and vegetables, with prices tripling, the charity Islamic Relief reported. The organization is sending 12 tonnes of emergency food aid and warned that communities risk severe hunger if supply lines are not restored within a week. The Indonesian government has committed to sending 34,000 tonnes of rice and 6.8 million litres of cooking oil to Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed rapid response teams, critical supplies, and strengthened disease surveillance in the region. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that the disasters are a stark reminder of how climate change is driving more frequent and extreme weather events.
Survivors have recounted the sudden and powerful floods that submerged villages overnight. One 17-year-old student, Gahitsa Zahira Cahyani, described the chaos:
“We didn’t think we would survive that night because the situation was so chaotic. Everyone was thinking about saving themselves. There was no prior warning whatsoever before the water came.”
This year’s flooding was worsened by a rare tropical storm in the Malacca Strait, devastating parts of Sumatra and southern Thailand, where 181 people died.
Sri Lanka has also been hit hard by Cyclone Ditwah, which caused floods and landslides, killing 410 people and leaving 336 missing.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency, calling it the “most challenging natural disaster in our history.”
While the rains have eased, landslide alerts remain in effect across the hardest-hit central regions, with authorities warning residents to stay vigilant.
