Severe Floods and Landslides in Indonesia: 248 Dead, Hundreds Missing

BNPB chief Suharyanto said, “Many areas are still inaccessible to rescuers, so the death toll may rise further.” He added that many people are believed to be swept away by river currents or buried under mud.

From the Agam district of West Sumatra on Friday, several new bodies were recovered. Local disaster department spokesperson Ilham Wahab said that 61 deaths and 90 missing have been confirmed in the province alone. Over 75,000 people have been displaced, and more than 100,000 people have been affected across the province.

In North Sumatra, 116 deaths have been confirmed, while Aceh province has reported at least 35 deaths.

Heavy rains have also caused severe flooding in Malaysia and Thailand, with the total death toll across the three countries exceeding 400.

Flooding and landslides have destroyed many bridges and submerged roads, making affected areas nearly isolated. Rescue operations with heavy machinery are challenging. Thousands of homes have been inundated, and many families are taking refuge in safer areas.

Relief and medical aid are being delivered by air to Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra. Authorities report urgent shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. Although rainfall has decreased since Friday night, there is still a risk of landslides in hilly areas. Rescuers warn that delays in finding missing persons could increase the scale of destruction. Disaster management agencies have issued nationwide alerts and are relocating people to safe areas.