Floods and landslides in Indonesia: Death toll rises to 58

The number of people who lost their lives in the floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in Indonesia's West Sumatra province has risen to 58, while search efforts for the 35 missing people continue.

The death toll from the floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Indonesia's West Sumatra province is increasing. In a statement made by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), it was reported that the number of people who lost their lives due to the floods has risen to 58, and the number of missing persons has reached 35.

While it was stated that search efforts for the missing are ongoing, it was noted that 33 people were also injured. It was stated that 1,543 families were affected by the floods, and at least 249 houses, 225 hectares of agricultural land including rice fields, 19 bridges, and most of the main roads in three districts and one town were damaged.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) stated that they plan to mitigate the heavy rainfall in West Sumatra through "cloud seeding."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The sliding of rock, ash, and soil piles accumulated as a result of the eruption of Mount Merapi due to monsoon rains, and the resulting floods, had caused loss of life. Many houses were submerged, and buildings and workplaces were damaged.

In Indonesia, Mount Merapi, located in the west of Sumatra Island, first erupted on December 3, 2023. As a result of the volcano erupting hundreds of times since the first incident, residents of the region were prohibited from entering or engaging in activities within a 4.5-kilometer radius of the eruption center.