At least 27 people have died following a series of devastating landslides and floods in North Sumatra, Indonesia, as rescue operations continue to search for survivors. The heavy rainfall that has plagued the region since last week triggered the deadly natural disasters, affecting multiple areas in the province.
According to the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the landslides struck four different locations, causing widespread destruction. One particularly tragic incident occurred on Wednesday in the village of Deli Serdang, where a landslide claimed the lives of seven people and left 20 others injured.
Authorities have focused their search efforts on rescuing those trapped in a small bus and other vehicles buried by mudslides on a mountainous road connecting the provinces. Hadi Wahyudi, a spokesperson for North Sumatra Police, reported that rescuers are still trying to locate missing individuals, but he refrained from providing a specific estimate of the total number of affected victims.
Search and rescue teams discovered 20 bodies during their operations this week, with two more people still missing. Wahyudi stated, “Today, we are concentrating on finding the missing and clearing the roads affected by the landslides.”
The landslides and floods have also caused significant damage to homes, mosques, and rice fields, further exacerbating the region’s plight. The National Meteorological Agency has issued warnings of extreme weather conditions expected by the end of the year, with the ongoing El Niño phenomenon increasing rainfall levels across the area.
The people of North Sumatra are facing a challenging recovery process, as rescue teams continue their tireless efforts to save lives and assess the full extent of the devastation.
