Floods and landslides ravage Indonesia and Thailand; combined toll rises to over 300

Floods and landslides have caused massive devastation in Indonesia and Thailand. The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island rose to 174 on Friday with 79 people still missing, said authorities. Meanwhile, at least 145 people have died in the massive flooding in southern Thailand, officials said on Friday, as receding waters exposed widespread destruction.

In Indonesia, the death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 116, while 35 people died in Aceh. Rescuers also retrieved 23 bodies in West Sumatra, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency Chief Suharyanto.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency said that a tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days.

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The floods swept away people and submerged more than 3,200 houses and buildings in North Sumatra province, while about 3,000 displaced families were moved to government shelters.

Mudslides, power blackouts, and lack of telecommunications were hampering the search and rescue operations, said Ferry Wulantukan, spokesperson for the North Sumatra regional police.

More than 17,000 homes submerged in West Sumatra

In West Sumatra, more than 17,000 homes were submerged, and about 23,000 residents moved to temporary shelters. Rice fields, livestock, and public facilities were destroyed, and bridges and roads were cut off by floods and landslides. At least six people have died, and 11 are missing from three villages in the Central Aceh district.

Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which formed in the Strait of Malacca, is causing the extreme weather, said Achadi Subarkah Raharjo at Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.

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“We have extended its extreme weather warning due to strong water vapour supply and shifting atmospheric dynamics,” Raharjo said.

Seasonal rains frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains.

3.6 million people affected by relentless heavy rain in Thailand

In Thailand, rescue teams are accessing previously submerged localities as waters recede, revealing widespread destruction. More than 1.2 million households and 3.6 million people across 12 southern provinces have been affected by relentless heavy rain. The flooding is one of the worst seen in several years and caused extensive damage.

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The death toll, reported in eight provinces, has risen sharply, with Songkhla province alone accounting for at least 110 deaths, said government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat. Fatalities surged in Songkhla as rescue teams were able to access residential areas that had been unreachable.

Several bodies were recovered from previously submerged neighbourhoods in Hat Yai, the region’s largest city.

Authorities continue relief and recovery operations as the scale of devastation becomes clearer with each passing day.