The death toll from devastating flash floods and mudslides in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province has climbed to 67, with 20 people still missing, authorities reported on Thursday.
The national disaster management agency BNPB stated that five of the previously missing individuals were found deceased, increasing the fatalities from 62 reported on Wednesday. Over 4,000 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters and nearby buildings as rescue operations continue.
The disaster has caused significant damage to the region, with at least 521 houses destroyed, 31,985 hectares of land—including critical rice fields—impacted, 19 bridges washed away, and most main roads rendered impassable.
In response, the government announced plans to relocate survivors whose homes are uninhabitable and those residing in high-risk areas. “We are gathering data on how many survivors need to be relocated and are searching for safe areas to build new houses,” said Suharyanto, head of BNPB, in a statement.
The relocation initiative aims to provide secure living conditions for those affected and to mitigate the impact of future natural disasters in the region. The BNPB and the West Sumatra provincial government are collaborating closely to expedite the process.
Indonesia, an archipelago prone to natural disasters due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and floods. The recent events in West Sumatra underscore the urgent need for effective disaster management and infrastructure resilience to safeguard communities.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
