JAKARTA—Flash floods and landslides across three Indonesian provinces have left 174 people dead and 79 missing, according to an update provided Friday by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
The agency reported that the natural disasters, which struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, have also injured 12 people. BNPB Chief Suharyanto stated during a press briefing that North Sumatra recorded the highest casualty toll, with 116 confirmed deaths and 42 individuals unaccounted for.
Rescue operations are facing significant challenges in accessing several affected zones due to widespread road damage and ongoing landslide risks.
“It is possible that more victims are located in landslide sites that remain inaccessible,” Suharyanto said, noting the slow progress in search efforts.
In Aceh Province, the disaster has resulted in 35 fatalities, 25 missing persons, and eight injuries. West Sumatra reported 23 deaths, 12 missing, and four injuries, with approximately 3,900 households displaced and moved to temporary shelters.
To mitigate further risk from severe weather, the BNPB has launched simultaneous Weather Modification Operations (WMO) across the three provinces, utilizing cloud-seeding techniques to divert rain clouds away from the high-risk zones. (Xinhua)