Sumatra Floods Kill 921 in Indonesia... Recovery Costs Estimated at 4.56 Trillion Won

392 Missing, Government Faces Criticism for Delaying Disaster Declaration

In Sumatra, Indonesia, floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall have claimed more than 900 lives. As the government has yet to declare a national disaster, the number of displaced people is rapidly increasing, and recovery costs are expected to reach several trillion won. This has sparked growing controversy over the government's response.

A drone footage of the flash flood damage area caused by heavy rain in Indonesia. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News Agency

According to Spain's EFE News Agency and other sources on December 8 (local time), Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency announced that recent floods and landslides in three northern provinces of Sumatra have resulted in 921 deaths and 392 people missing.

The hardest-hit area was Aceh Province. Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency, stated that 366 deaths occurred in this region alone, explaining, "Many residents are isolated due to damaged roads, making rescue operations difficult." The number of displaced people from these floods is estimated at about 975,000. In remote areas where vehicles cannot access, relief supplies are being delivered by drone and helicopter, while shortages of drinking water and fuel have led to soaring prices for daily necessities, causing additional secondary damage.

National Disaster Not Yet Declared... Local Residents Criticize "Disaster Tourism"

A survivor is pulling a sack containing items collected while crossing through the mud in the flood-affected area of the rapid river on Sumatra Island, Indonesia. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Suharyanto estimated that the cost of restoring homes, roads, and public facilities would reach 3.1 billion dollars (about 4.56 trillion won). Nevertheless, the Indonesian government has not yet declared a national disaster. President Prabowo Subianto stated, "The recovery costs are manageable," and proposed economic support measures such as debt relief. However, local residents have voiced dissatisfaction, saying, "The government is just touring the disaster sites for 'disaster tourism'" and is not responding adequately.

In Indonesia, a national disaster has been declared only three times in the past 30 years: after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed 230,000 people, and during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020.

Displaced people in the affected areas of Sumatra are exposed to diarrhea, respiratory infections, and skin diseases, but a shortage of medical personnel means adequate treatment is not being provided. Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Minister of Health, said, "At least 300 doctors are needed to be deployed to remote areas over the next three months."

Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia Also Affected... Death Toll Exceeds 1,800

This crisis is not limited to Indonesia. In Sri Lanka, which was recently hit by Cyclone Dithwa during the same period, floods and landslides have killed 627 people and left 190 missing. About 10% of the population, or roughly 2.32 million people, have been affected, and 50,000 homes have been completely destroyed. The recovery cost is estimated to be as high as 7 billion dollars (about 10.3 trillion won).

Additionally, 275 deaths have been reported in Thailand and 3 in Malaysia, bringing the total death toll from the heavy rains across these four countries to 1,826. Experts have analyzed that the damage was exacerbated by a significant increase in rainfall due to climate change, as well as indiscriminate logging and inadequate disaster preparedness systems.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.