Rescue teams in Sumatra reported 164 deaths from flash floods and landslides on Friday, with 79 people still unaccounted for. Operations have been slowed by damaged bridges and roads, continuing mudslides, widespread power outages and a shortage of heavy equipment.
Officials at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said the casualties include 116 people in North Sumatra, 25 in Aceh and 23 in West Sumatra. Monsoon downpours on Tuesday caused rivers in North Sumatra to overflow, sweeping through mountainside villages, carrying away residents and inundating more than 3,200 houses and other buildings. About 3,000 displaced families have moved into government shelters.
West Sumatra authorities reported floods that submerged over 17,000 homes and forced roughly 23,000 people into temporary shelters. Floodwater has damaged rice fields, livestock and public facilities, and several communities have been cut off by landslides. In Aceh, washed-out roads have delayed the delivery of excavators and other heavy machinery needed to reach hamlets buried by mud and rock.
Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency officials said Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which developed in the Strait of Malacca, boosted rainfall, winds and high waves across Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Riau. The agency warned that unstable atmospheric conditions and a continued supply of moisture could prolong extreme weather while the cyclone remains active.
Seasonal rains regularly trigger floods and landslides in Indonesia, where many communities are located on steep slopes or fertile flood plains, increasing vulnerability to such disasters.