Sumatra floods kill hundreds as rare cyclone Senyar hits
Sumatra floods kill hundreds as rare cyclone Senyar hits
Deadly floods sweep Sumatra after Cyclone Senyar, killing hundreds and displacing tens of thousands as rescuers race to reach Sibolga and other hard-hit towns.
A sudden surge of floodwater from the rare Cyclone Senyar rolled through Sumatra, leaving Sibolga among the worst-hit towns. Official tallies show hundreds dead and nearly 60,000 families displaced as homes, roads and shops were submerged. The scale of destruction has turned streets into rivers and cut many communities off from help.
Rescuers faced blocked roads, landslides and the challenge of reaching remote neighborhoods. Rescue operations were slowed by ongoing rain and the magnitude of the damage, with some areas still inaccessible to aid workers and helicopters.
Looting was reported in Sibolga as people scrambled for food and water while aid deliveries struggled to arrive. To help, eleven helicopters were sent from Jakarta and four navy ships were deployed to support logistics, with aid drops and supplies distributed to the deepest pockets.
Authorities are pressing Jakarta to declare a national disaster to unlock faster, coordinated relief and reconstruction funds. The disaster also stretched resources across the region, affecting parts of Aceh and North Sumatra.
Officials warn the situation remains precarious as waters begin to recede in some districts; the immediate focus is food, clean water, shelter and medical care for the displaced, while recovery plans take shape.
Cover image source: Watch: Indonesia floods: Over 300 dead as Sumatra faces devastation 🔗
