PADANG, Indonesia — The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Sumatra rose to 164 on Friday, with 79 people still missing, authorities said. Rescuers have been hampered by damaged bridges and roads, mudslides, power blackouts and limited heavy equipment.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto reported 116 deaths in North Sumatra, 25 in Aceh and 23 in West Sumatra. Monsoon rains caused rivers to burst their banks in North Sumatra on Tuesday, tearing through mountainside villages, sweeping away people and submerging more than 3,200 houses and buildings. About 3,000 displaced families sought government shelters.
West Sumatra authorities said floods submerged more than 17,000 homes and forced about 23,000 residents into temporary shelters; rice fields, livestock and public facilities were also damaged and some communities were isolated by landslides. In Aceh, washed-out roads have delayed bringing excavators and other heavy machinery to hamlets buried by mud and rock.
Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency officials said Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which formed in the Strait of Malacca, intensified rainfall, strong winds and high waves across Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Riau. The agency warned unstable atmospheric conditions and continued moisture supply may prolong extreme weather while the cyclone remains active.
Seasonal rains frequently trigger floods and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago where many people live on steep terrain or fertile flood plains.