The death toll from floods and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra rose this week to 84 people, rescuers reported today, Friday (11/28/2025), who are searching for dozens of missing people.
“As of this morning, the death toll has reached 62 people and 95 were seriously and slightly injured. At least 65 people are still under investigation,” North Sumatra provincial police spokesman Phiri Walintokan told AFP.
Authorities in North Sumatra, where access to some areas and communications remain cut off, are focusing on “evacuation and assistance,” Walintokan said.
He added, “We hope that the weather will improve so that we can transport the helicopter to the (most affected) places.”
He added that more than 30 people died in Sibolga, the most affected city.
In West Sumatra, the head of the local disaster management agency, Abdul Malik, told AFP that “22 people have died and 12 are still missing.”
Landslides
Heavy rains also caused flooding in Indonesia’s westernmost Aceh province, triggering landslides and forcing the evacuation of nearly 1,500 people, according to rescuers.
In addition, at least 38 people lost their lives this month in landslides caused by heavy rains in Central Java, and about 13 people are still missing.
The annual monsoon season, between June and September, usually brings heavy rains that cause avalanches, flash floods and water-borne diseases.
The situation was exacerbated by the tropical storm that struck the region in recent days.
Heavy rains have flooded some areas in southern Thailand, killing dozens of people and leaving many trapped in their homes. In Malaysia, several areas were also flooded, causing at least two deaths.
mg (AFP, AFP)