25-11-2024 (JAKARTA) Weekend flash floods and a devastating landslide have claimed at least 16 lives across North Sumatra, with rescue operations continuing to locate seven missing persons, Indonesia’s disaster management authorities reported on Monday.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that four districts have been affected, with Karo district bearing the heaviest toll. A popular resort area in Karo was struck by sudden flooding on Saturday, resulting in five fatalities, with an equal number of people still unaccounted for.
BNPB spokesman Abdul Muhari detailed the widespread impact across the region, with casualties also reported in Deli Serdang, South Tapanuli, and Padang Lawas districts. The disasters have caused significant damage to infrastructure, including homes, mosques, and public facilities.
“Deli Serdang and Karo districts have experienced recurring natural disasters this year alone,” Muhari noted, revealing that these areas had already endured three and two similar incidents respectively in 2023.
Military personnel and rescue teams have been mobilised to assist in affected areas, while authorities have issued urgent warnings to civilians about the dangers of visiting outdoor tourist locations near water bodies during the ongoing rainy season.
The latest tragedy adds to Indonesia’s mounting environmental challenges, which experts increasingly link to climate change. The archipelago nation is still recovering from a catastrophic incident in May, when the eruption of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra triggered deadly flash floods, resulting in 67 fatalities after volcanic debris swept through residential areas.
