The death toll from the devastating floods and landslides across three provinces on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island has risen to 753, with 650 people still missing, the country’s disaster agency National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said in its latest update.

The catastrophic disaster — triggered by heavy monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm in the Malacca Strait — has caused widespread destruction across the provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh. Emergency teams say many areas remain cut off due to collapsed bridges, flooded roads, and landslide debris.

BNPB reports that roughly 1.1 million people have been displaced across the affected provinces. Tens of thousands of homes have been either destroyed or badly damaged, and essential infrastructure — including roads, bridges, and communication lines — has been severely disrupted.

In remote and hardest‑hit districts, relief efforts are hampered by blocked access routes. Rescue teams are relying on helicopters and boats to reach stranded communities, while simultaneous efforts are underway to restore telecommunications and reopen vital roads.

The Sumatra disaster is now considered among the deadliest in Southeast Asia this year. Across the broader region — including neighboring countries hit by cyclones and monsoon rains — flood‑related fatalities have surged beyond 1,200. The convergence of extreme weather, climate change, and environmental degradation such as deforestation have been widely cited as contributing factors.

In Sumatra alone, an estimated 3.3 million people have been directly affected. Reports indicate that more than 2,600 people have been injured.

Government and regional agencies say they are mobilizing aid via land, sea, and air. Efforts are underway to clear roads and repair damaged infrastructure. However, relief crews warn that progress is slow — many remote villages remain inaccessible, and shortages of fuel, clean water, and basic supplies hamper relief operations.

Local and international aid groups are calling for urgent action to deliver food, clean water, medical supplies, and temporary shelter — especially as concern grows over potential health crises due to contaminated water and lack of sanitation.

BNPB has confirmed that rescue and recovery operations will continue for as long as necessary, but emphasized that weather forecasts warn of further heavy rain in the region, raising fears of new floods or landslides. Officials have called on national and international partners to scale up support and mobilize resources swiftly.

Authorities are also reviewing long‑term measures to improve disaster preparedness in flood‑prone regions, including strengthening infrastructure, reforestation efforts, early warning systems, and emergency response capacity. (ILKHA)