Floods and landslides brought about by torrential rain in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province have killed at least 28 people, as rescue efforts are hampered by what an official described as a “total cut-off” of roads and communications.
The floods are one of a series of weather disasters to hit South-East Asia this week. More than 30 people were killed by floods in Thailand and Malaysia. Water levels were high enough to submerge hospitals.
Rescuers from the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency evacuate people from their flooded home in North Sumatra province.Credit: AP
A rare tropical cyclone blew across Indonesia’s Sumatra island, inundating the nearby Malacca Strait and causing floods and landslides.
Another 10 people were still missing, Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the country’s disaster mitigation agency, said earlier today.
Up to 8000 people across North Sumatra have been evacuated, and roads remain blocked by landslide debris. Aid and logistics was being distributed via helicopter, Abdul said.
More flooding is expected in several other Sumatran provinces, including Aceh and Riau, over the next two days, the meteorological agency said.
Thailand airlifted patients and flew in critical supplies, including oxygen tanks, into the submerged southern city of Hait Yai yesterday, as the death toll rose to 33 people.
Floods have swept through nine Thai provinces and eight Malaysian states for a second successive year, prompting both countries to evacuate nearly 50,000 people.
Reuters