[25.12.13] Deadly Floods in Indonesia’s Sumatra Kill Over 1,000, Hundreds Still Missing

Deadly Floods in Indonesia’s Sumatra Kill Over 1,000, Hundreds Still Missing

📍Two Weeks of Heavy Rain and Landslides Trigger Worsening Humanitarian Crisis

Severe flooding and landslides triggered by prolonged heavy rainfall have caused massive casualties on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island. Over the past two weeks, the death toll has surpassed 1,000, with more than 200 people still missing. Power outages and shortages of relief supplies continue to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the hardest-hit areas.

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🔹 Death Toll Surpasses 1,000 After Two Weeks of Disaster
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced on the 13th (local time) that floods and landslides in three northern provinces of Sumatra—Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra—have claimed 1,003 lives, with 218 people still missing. A total of 5,400 people have been injured across 52 affected districts.

🔹 Extensive Damage to Infrastructure
Public infrastructure has been severely damaged, including 1,200 public facilities, 219 medical centers, 581 educational institutions, 434 religious facilities, and 145 bridges. Disrupted roads and communication networks have significantly hampered rescue and recovery efforts.

🔹 Prolonged Blackouts and Shortage of Aid in Aceh
In Aceh Province, approximately 60 percent of the region remains without electricity. Temporary shelters overcrowded with evacuees are facing shortages of drinking water, food, and medical supplies, raising concerns over disease outbreaks.

🔹 President Apologizes, Government Promises Additional Support
President Prabowo Subianto visited Aceh again and apologized for delays in aid delivery, pledging continued government assistance. Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said new economic relief measures would be announced within days.

🔹 Recovery Costs Estimated at $3.1 Billion
The Indonesian government estimates that rebuilding homes and public facilities across the three provinces will cost approximately $3.1 billion. Despite the scale of the disaster, the government has not declared a national emergency and has declined international assistance.

🔹 Regional Impact Across South Asia
The unusually formed tropical cyclone “Ditwa” in the Malacca Strait has also triggered flooding and landslides across South Asia. Sri Lanka reported 640 deaths and 211 missing, while Thailand recorded 275 fatalities and Malaysia three. Combined, the death toll across four countries has exceeded 1,900.

🔹 Experts Cite Climate Change and Poor Disaster Management
Experts attribute the scale of the disaster to intensified rainfall linked to climate change, compounded by deforestation, uncontrolled development, and inadequate disaster prevention systems.

One-line summary : Heavy rains and landslides in Sumatra have killed over 1,000 people in two weeks, spreading a regional humanitarian crisis across South Asia.