The death toll from the cyclone-fueled rains in Indonesia has risen to 303, the nation’s disaster mitigation agency said Saturday.
At least 279 people are still missing on the island of Sumatra, which has been beset by floods and landslides as a result of the heavy downpour that has engulfed the Indonesian territory for a week.
Tree trunks and debris lie on the ground in an area hit by deadly flash floods following heavy rains in Batang Toru, South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia, on Saturday, Nov. 29. REUTERS
People use flood water to remove mud from clothings at a village hit by a flash flood in Batang Toru on Nov. 29. AP“The death toll is believed to be increasing, since many bodies are still missing, while many have not been reached,” said Suharyanto, who uses a single name and is the head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency.
Hundreds more are stranded in the lush rainforests of the island with rescue efforts entering their third day, according to military officials.
Rescue efforts were buoyed Saturday by clear weather though first responders are being hampered by a lack of heavy equipment and the destruction of critical infrastructure such as bridges.
A man stands next to his car trapped in mud following flash floods in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya district of Indonesia’s Aceh province on Nov. 28. AFP via Getty ImagesThe disaster management agency said roughly 59,660 displaced families fled their homes for safety at temporary government shelters.
Authorities are using cloud seeding, which involves injecting particles into clouds to make rain, to redirect rainfall away from the areas where search and rescue efforts are ongoing, according to the agency.
A man operates a forklift to load logistical aid into an Airbus A400M military plane for flash flood victims in the North Sumatra province and Aceh province at Halim Perdanakusuma air base, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 29. REUTERSIn neighboring Thailand, 162 people have died from floods due to the same cyclone.
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