The death toll in Indonesia from recent flooding has passed 900, with hundreds still missing. More than 100,000 homes were destroyed when a rare and powerful cyclone formed over the Malaca Strait last week, bringing torrential rain and landslides to parts of the South East Asian country. Efforts to reach people in areas still cut off are ongoing, with aid having to be airdropped into some locations.
The Indonesia floods were part of several extreme weather events to hit Asia recently, pushing the cumulative death toll in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam close to 2,000. In Aceh Tamiang, one of the hardest-hit areas, survivors described entire villages swept away by the flooding.
One survivor, Fitriana, recounted the trauma as she and others clung to rooftops without food or water for days. She confirmed that about 90% of homes in her village were destroyed, leaving hundreds of families displaced. Another individual shared how his family was forced to evacuate multiple times as floodwaters engulfed their home multiple times.
The regional governor reported that response teams continue to search for missing individuals amid the mud, with many communities in desperate need of food and other essentials. Some areas remain completely cut off, accessible only by air or sea as reports of looting emerge amid the chaos.
This disaster highlights the growing impact of extreme weather attributed to climate change, with increased awareness needed to respond to such crises effectively in the future.
The Indonesia floods were part of several extreme weather events to hit Asia recently, pushing the cumulative death toll in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam close to 2,000. In Aceh Tamiang, one of the hardest-hit areas, survivors described entire villages swept away by the flooding.
One survivor, Fitriana, recounted the trauma as she and others clung to rooftops without food or water for days. She confirmed that about 90% of homes in her village were destroyed, leaving hundreds of families displaced. Another individual shared how his family was forced to evacuate multiple times as floodwaters engulfed their home multiple times.
The regional governor reported that response teams continue to search for missing individuals amid the mud, with many communities in desperate need of food and other essentials. Some areas remain completely cut off, accessible only by air or sea as reports of looting emerge amid the chaos.
This disaster highlights the growing impact of extreme weather attributed to climate change, with increased awareness needed to respond to such crises effectively in the future.
