Flash floods on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island have resulted in the confirmed deaths of 52 people. Monsoon rains and a landslide from Mount Marapi caused extensive damage in four districts of West Sumatra province, displacing more than 3,300 residents to temporary shelters. Rescuers are working to find bodies and survivors in rivers and devastated villages affected by the flash floods. The floods swept away people and destroyed homes and buildings, forcing residents to flee to safety.
The National Search and Rescue Agency reported that 52 bodies had been recovered by Tuesday, primarily in the worst-hit Agam and Tanah Datar districts. Rescuers are still searching for 20 missing individuals. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency warned of more downpours in the coming days in West Sumatra, with the danger of extreme rainfall extending to the next week. Authorities plan to use weather modification technology to reduce the amount of rain, with the emergency response period closing on May 25.
Television reports showed the desperate efforts of rescue personnel using various tools to dig through mud and rubble in Agam district. Rescuers focused on finding missing individuals, including trying to locate four people swept away with their cars near the Anai Valley Waterfall in Tanah Datar district. With remote areas still unreachable and many people missing, the death toll from the disaster is anticipated to rise. Indonesia frequently experiences landslides and flash floods due to heavy rains, affecting mountainous areas and floodplains where millions of people reside.
This recent disaster follows a similar event two months ago in West Sumatra, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people with 11 others still missing. Mount Marapi, which experienced a surprise eruption last year that claimed the lives of 23 climbers, remains active. The mountain’s shallow source near the peak makes predicting eruptions challenging, according to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation in Indonesia. Marapi is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a country prone to seismic activity due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” which encompasses an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. Emergency efforts are underway to aid those affected by the recent flash floods and prevent further loss of life.
