Rescue workers across Indonesia are continuing to battle to reach victims in several devastated areas submerged by a week of cyclone-driven torrential rain, as authorities confirm the death toll has now tragically reached 303 and is expected to rise further.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced on Saturday that the confirmed casualty figure following this week’s catastrophic flooding and landslides stands at 303. The disaster has been particularly severe across parts of Sumatra, with the provinces of West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh bearing the brunt of the impact.
Scale of the Humanitarian Crisis
- Fatalities: 303 confirmed deaths.
- Missing Persons: More than 100 people are still officially reported as missing, with search and rescue operations heavily focused on areas like West Sumatra’s Agam district, where more bodies were recently recovered.
- Injuries: Over 500 people have been injured, requiring immediate medical attention.
- Displacement: In West Sumatra alone, a total of 75,219 people have been displaced and are currently housed in temporary shelters. A staggering 106,806 people have been affected by the disaster across the region.
The head of the BNPB, Suharyanto, emphasized the grim outlook, stating, “The death toll is believed to be increasing, since many bodies are still missing, while many areas have not yet been reached by rescue teams.”
Breakdown by Province
The confirmed death toll has been rapidly updated over the past 48 hours:
- West Sumatra: Initially reported at 23, the confirmed toll rose to 61 deaths by Friday evening, with 90 people missing.
- North Sumatra: Authorities confirmed 116 people were killed in this province.
- Aceh Province: The death toll here reached at least 35 people.
Regional Impact of the Rare Storm
The widespread devastation is the result of a rare tropical storm that formed in the Malacca Strait, the waterway separating the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
The storm brought days of unprecedented torrential rain, inundating vast areas across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The combined death toll across the three countries now stands at approximately 400 people, highlighting the severe regional impact of this extreme weather event. The storms have also caused significant damage to infrastructure, including vital roads and bridges, which is hindering the delivery of essential aid to isolated communities.
