Rescue Teams Fight Against Time
Indonesia reports 631 deaths after last week’s catastrophic floods. Emergency crews continue to struggle to reach isolated communities. A rare cyclone over the Malacca Strait triggered the disaster and hit three provinces. Officials say the floods affected around 1.5 million people. Nearly 500 residents remain missing, and thousands suffered injuries. Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka also report fatalities after days of torrential rain.
Three Provinces Suffer the Worst Damage
Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra face the heaviest destruction. Many villages remain cut off and lack essential supplies. National authorities say about one million people had to evacuate. A woman from Pidie Jaya described the floodwater as “like a tsunami.” Her grandmother called it the worst disaster of her life. Rescue teams often travel by foot or motorcycle, since many roads remain impassable. Images show collapsed bridges, mud-covered roads, and huge piles of debris.
Search for the Missing Continues
At the Twin Bridges landmark in West Sumatra, families watch heavy machinery clear thick mud. One mother hopes for news about her missing 15-year-old son. She fears devastating results as she sees how deep the mud lies. Many residents still wait for food aid. Some say they have not eaten for two or three days. A woman in Central Tapanuli says aid teams cannot reach her district. She describes empty supplies and people fighting over the last instant noodles. She says access to the area is completely cut off.
Communication Remains a Major Challenge
She walks kilometres to find an internet signal or clean water. In Central Aceh, thousands queued outside the local administration building, using satellite devices to contact relatives or charge phones. One man waited through the night, hoping to call his mother in Banda Aceh, but he still cannot reach her.
Anger Over Government Response Grows
Residents blame officials for poor preparation. Activist groups say environmental mismanagement worsened the disaster’s impact. President Prabowo Subianto visited affected areas on Monday. He admitted some roads remain blocked but said teams work hard to overcome the situation. He urged unity and resilience in the face of the crisis.
Region Faces Exceptional Weather Patterns
Across South and Southeast Asia, flooding and landslides have killed about 1,200 people in a week. Sri Lanka reports at least 390 deaths and Thailand at least 176. Meteorologists say several weather systems combined to intensify the rainfall. The northeast monsoon typically brings heavy rain from November to March. In Sri Lanka, a slow-moving cyclone dumped huge amounts of water in just a few days. The storm has weakened and moved north towards India, leaving Sri Lanka with a drier outlook.
Rare Storms Near the Equator
Over the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and southern Thailand, another cyclone strengthened the monsoon and delivered more than a metre of rain in some areas. The system formed unusually close to the equator, where cyclones rarely develop. Vietnam has endured weeks of severe rainfall, worsened by recent tropical storms. The remnants of a former typhoon now drift toward the coast and threaten further downpours.
Climate Change Increases Flood Risks
Experts say climate change likely plays a role. Global warming does not necessarily create more cyclones, but it can make them more intense. Heavier rainfall raises the risk of extreme flooding.
