Amanze Chinonye
Indonesia has intensified search-and-rescue operations across flood-ravaged parts of North Sumatra, Aceh and West Sumatra, where days of relentless monsoon rains have triggered deadly flash floods and landslides, leaving 49 people confirmed dead and 67 missing as of Thursday.
Rescuers, supported by rubber boats, heavy equipment and manual digging tools, are combing through rivers, collapsed homes and thick mud in an effort to recover bodies and locate possible survivors.
Disaster officials said torrential rainfall caused major rivers in North Sumatra to overflow on Tuesday, sending destructive torrents through mountainside communities. More than 2,000 houses and public buildings were submerged, and nearly 5,000 residents fled to government shelters as entire families were swept away in multiple districts.
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Seventeen bodies were recovered in South Tapanuli and eight in Sibolga city, while landslides in Central Tapanuli destroyed several homes and killed a family of four.
Additional victims were found in Pakpak Bharat and on Nias Island, where mud and debris struck a key road. With many remote areas still unreachable, North Sumatra police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan warned that the death toll was likely to rise.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency has warned that extreme rainfall will continue into next week, raising fears of further flooding. To curb additional rain during ongoing rescue efforts, national disaster chief Suharyanto announced that cloud-seeding operations will begin immediately to divert rain clouds away from crisis zones.
Television images showed rescue personnel using jackhammers, saws and even their bare hands to dig through mud, rocks and uprooted trees. Others in rubber boats searched rivers and evacuated children and elderly people stranded on rooftops as floodwaters rose. Landslides and mudflows have severed access to several communities after cutting off bridges and blocking major roads.
Flooding and landslides have also spread beyond North Sumatra. In Aceh province, at least nine bodies were recovered after slides hit three villages in Central Aceh, with nearly 47,000 people displaced and more than 1,500 taking refuge in temporary shelters. Officials have requested excavators to retrieve victims still believed to be buried under deep mud.
In West Sumatra province, six bodies were recovered in the Lumin Park residential area in Padang, where floodwaters submerged more than 3,300 houses in Padang Pariaman district. Rescuers are searching for 14 people feared buried under mud and rocks in hilly Jorong Toboh village. Landslides have also isolated several communities by damaging bridges and blocking main roads.
Heavy seasonal rains from October to March frequently cause flooding and landslides across Indonesia’s mountainous and riverine regions, where millions live in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.
Authorities say the scale of the latest devastation underscores the urgent need for stronger early-warning systems and long-term climate-resilience measures across the archipelago.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
