Indonesia flood and landslide toll climbs to 303 as rescuers struggle to reach isolated areas
Flooding comes after a rare storm formed in the Malacca Strait, unleashing days of intense rainfall across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand
JAKARTA (MNTV) – Rescue teams in Indonesia are still racing to reach communities cut off by a week of cyclone-fueled torrential rain, as authorities confirmed on Saturday that the nationwide death toll from catastrophic floods and landslides has risen to 303.
Officials said the figure is likely to increase, with more than 100 people still unaccounted for.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the latest fatalities were confirmed after rescuers recovered more bodies in West Sumatra’s Agam district. BNPB chief Suharyanto warned that the true toll may be far higher.
“Many bodies are still missing, while many areas have not been reached,” he said.
West Sumatra’s regional disaster agency revised its own figures late Friday, reporting 61 deaths and 90 missing across the province. Spokesman Ilham Wahab said more than 106,000 people have been affected, with at least 75,000 displaced from their homes.
Casualties were also reported elsewhere on Sumatra island, including 116 deaths in North Sumatra and at least 35 in Aceh province, according to local authorities.
The flooding comes after a rare tropical storm formed in the Malacca Strait, unleashing days of intense rainfall across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Nearly 400 people have been killed across the three countries, with Thailand reporting at least 145 deaths in its southern provinces and Malaysia confirming two fatalities. More than 3.5 million people in Thailand have also been affected by floodwaters.
In Indonesia, entire villages were inundated after swollen rivers burst their banks, sweeping away homes, vehicles, and roads. Mountainside communities in North Sumatra were among the worst hit, with floodwaters destroying bridges and landslides cutting off communication lines.
Relief operations remain extremely challenging.
Damaged infrastructure and impassable roads have slowed the movement of rescue teams and heavy machinery, while continued search efforts are relying heavily on aircraft to deliver aid into isolated districts such as Central Tapanuli.
Authorities say thousands of families remain displaced, and with many regions still inaccessible, the full scale of the disaster has yet to emerge.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
