In brief
The death toll from Indonesia's recent floods has reached 631, with nearly 500 people still missing and around 1.5 million affected in three provinces. Ongoing rescue efforts face challenges amid anger towards the government's handling of the disaster. Criticism focuses on slow food aid distribution and insufficient preparation for the catastrophic events caused by unusual weather patterns, including a rare cyclone. As the region grapples with extensive damages, communities await urgent assistance while the government insists on its commitment to recovery.
The death toll in the floods which struck Indonesia last week has now climbed to 631 on Tuesday, with rescue workers still battling to reach affected areas. The floods, which were caused by a rare cyclone that had formed over the Malacca Strait, have hit three provinces and impacted some 1.5 million people, according to the government's disaster agency. Nearly 500 people remain missing, while thousands more have been injured.Indonesia is just one part of Asia which has been hit with torrential rain and storms in recent days, with Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka all also reporting deaths. In Indonesia, the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra have been hardest hit, with thousands still cut off and without critical supplies. About one million people have been evacuated, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said.Arini Amalia, a resident from Aceh's Pidie Jaya Regency, told the BBC the flood waters had been 'like a tsunami'. 'According to my grandmother, this is the worst, the worst in her life,' Amalia said. Aid workers have been trying to reach people on foot and by motorcycle, as many roads are impassable to larger vehicles. Pictures from the region show bridges washed away, roads covered in mud and debris, and logs piled high.At West Sumatra's Twin Bridges landmark, where flood waters swept through and deposited enormous amounts of mud and debris, Mariana watched as excavators cleared the roads, hoping they would find her missing family members including her 15-year-old son. 'Watching the excavators, seeing how thick the mud is… I keep thinking, what condition will my child be in when they find him?' she said.Many are still waiting for food aid, with some saying they have not eaten for two to three days. Maysanti, who lives in Central Tapanuli, one of the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, said that aid workers were having trouble reaching her district. 'Everything is gone; our food supplies are running out. We can't eat,' she said. 'Access to us is completely cut off.'As rescue efforts continue, anger has started to grow towards the government's disaster response, with some activists blaming environmental mismanagement for worsening the effects of the floods. President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged the difficulties in access but expressed optimism in overcoming the crisis: 'We face this disaster with resilience and solidarity. Our nation is strong right now, able to overcome this.'Across South and South East Asia, about 1,200 people have been killed in flooding and landslides in the last week. The extreme weather has been linked to a combination of meteorological factors, including a rare cyclone enhancing seasonal monsoon rains.
