The death toll resulting from flash flooding and landslides on Sumatra's Indonesian island has climbed to 21, as confirmed by an official on Sunday.
Six individuals are still reported missing and over 75,000 residents have been compelled to evacuate following the disaster triggered by torrential rains in Pesisir Selatan regency, West Sumatra province.
Fajar Sukma, an official from West Sumatra's disaster mitigation agency, stated that as of Sunday, 21 casualties had been recorded, while six individuals remain unaccounted for. The village situated on a hillside in the Sutera subdistrict suffered severe impact, leaving approximately 200 families isolated after being struck by landslides followed by flash floods.
Earlier reports from local officials had cited the death toll at 18, with five individuals still missing. Search and rescue efforts are underway, focusing on three heavily affected areas, involving around 150 personnel from disaster relief organizations in West Sumatra, as stated by Abdul Malik, a local search and rescue official.
While floodwaters have begun to recede after the flooding, access to landslide-affected regions remains challenging due to the rugged terrain, according to Doni Gusrizal, a senior official from the Pesisir Selatan disaster mitigation agency.
In Padang Pariaman regency, also within West Sumatra, heavy rainfall earlier in the week resulted in rivers overflowing, leading to floods and a landslide, claiming the lives of at least three individuals, as reported by the local disaster agency.
Indonesia, particularly prone to landslides during the rainy season, faces exacerbated risks in certain areas due to deforestation. Prolonged torrential rains have caused flooding in various parts of the archipelago nation.
In a similar incident last December, a landslide and floods ravaged several houses and demolished a hotel near Lake Toba on Sumatra, resulting in at least two fatalities.
