The Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency reported on the 2nd that recent floods and landslides in three provinces on Sumatra Island have left 712 people dead and 507 missing. Search and rescue operations across affected areas are still being intensified.
The agency stated that the floods have forced about 1.1 million people to evacuate in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces. Although helicopters and boats have been deployed for rescue, adverse weather and damaged infrastructure continue to significantly delay rescue efforts.
Due to road blockages, bridge collapses, and the inability of rescue teams to arrive promptly in the three disaster-stricken provinces, some severely affected areas have turned into "isolated islands" with power, water, and communications cut off, making them almost completely disconnected from the outside world.
Indonesia is currently at the peak of its rainy season, with frequent severe convective weather and a high incidence of geological disasters such as flash floods, landslides, and mudslides. However, unlike previous years, the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics indicated that this round of extreme weather is mainly caused by a regional tropical system, specifically tropical storm "Sanya."
North Sumatra Governor Bobby pointed out that this flood and series of landslides were triggered by extreme weather. According to the local meteorological department, some areas "experienced a month's worth of rainfall in just one day."
In mountainous and remote rural areas, continuous rainfall has caused river levels to nearly reach saturation. Combined with factors such as deforestation, some regions were already highly vulnerable. In Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province, multiple rivers overflowed, and floodwaters in urban areas surged almost overnight.
Many residents said that by the time they realized the danger, water inside their homes was already close to chest height. With the flood arriving at night, most people had no time to evacuate.