Devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia have killed 1,003 people over the past two weeks, rescuers said Saturday, as authorities continue to battle overwhelming humanitarian needs across the country’s northwest.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency reported that more than 5,400 people have been injured in the disaster, which has ravaged large areas of Sumatra following relentless torrential rains. Officials warn the death toll is likely to rise, with 218 people still missing.
The scale of destruction marks one of the worst natural disasters to hit Sumatra in recent years. The island last experienced mass casualties on this scale during the 2004 tsunami that devastated Aceh province.
With entire districts inundated, around 1.2 million residents have been forced into temporary shelters. Anger has grown among survivors, many of whom say relief operations have been slow and uneven.
President Prabowo Subianto, visiting Langkat in North Sumatra on Saturday, said conditions were gradually improving as previously isolated areas became reachable.
“Here and there, due to natural and physical conditions, there have been slight delays,” he said. “But I checked all the evacuation sites: their conditions are good, services for them are adequate, and food supplies are sufficient.”
Government estimates suggest reconstruction costs could reach 51.82 trillion rupiah ($3.1 billion). Despite the scale of the disaster, officials have so far dismissed calls to seek international assistance.
