Death Toll From Indonesia Floods And Landslides Passes 700

Authorities announced that fatalities from severe flooding and landslides in Indonesia have surpassed 700, as emergency teams race to reach isolated communities and restore vital access routes.

The number of people killed by floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island rose to 708 on Tuesday, the disaster agency said, as authorities rushed to repair infrastructure and deliver aid to cut-off areas.
Officials explained during a late-Tuesday briefing that the confirmed death toll had reached 708 since last week, noting that earlier online figures were higher but offering no explanation for the inconsistency.

The agency in a press conference late on Tuesday said 708 people had been killed since last week, a figure lower than the 753 reported on its website earlier in the day. It did not give a reason for the discrepancy.
Nearly 900 people have now lost their lives in devastating floods and landslides across Indonesia, events that come after a season of harsh and destructive weather across Southeast Asia, including multiple storms that hit neighbouring countries and exacerbated widespread flooding.

Close to 900 people have been killed in floods and landslides that have wreaked havoc in Indonesia, and , which follow months of adverse and deadly weather in Southeast Asia, including successive typhoons that struck the Philippines and Vietnam and added to frequent and prolonged flooding elsewhere.
Specialists and local authorities say large-scale clearing of forests on Sumatra has amplified the scale and deadliness of the disaster.

Environmental experts and local officials have said deforestation on Sumatra has led to a disproportionately deadly toll
The disaster agency reported that response teams are focusing on delivering supplies by land, sea, and air, reopening roads blocked by debris, and fixing critical infrastructure.

The Indonesian disaster agency said teams were prioritising distributing aid via land, sea and air, clearing blocked roads and repairing damaged infrastructure.
“We hope to accelerate the flow of logistical support,” spokesperson Abdul Muhari stated.

“We do hope that we can speed up the logistics distribution,” spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.