MEDAN, Indonesia (AP) In response to the devastating floods on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, some residents have resorted to stealing food and water to survive, local authorities reported on Sunday. The floods, which began nearly a week ago, have resulted in 303 confirmed fatalities, and this number is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue. Thousands of individuals have been displaced, and the severe weather has led to landslides, damaged roads, and communication outages across the region.
The challenging weather conditions, along with a notable lack of heavy rescue equipment, have severely hampered efforts to reach those in need. Aid has been particularly slow to arrive in the hardest-hit areas, such as the city of Sibolga and the Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra. Videos shared on social media depict desperate residents scrambling through hazardous conditions, including crumbling barricades, flooded roads, and broken glass, to secure essential supplies like food, medicine, and fuel. Some locals even waded through waist-deep floodwaters to access damaged convenience stores.
North Sumatra Police initially reported incidents of looting on Saturday evening, as confirmed by police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan. He indicated that regional authorities had been mobilized to restore order in affected areas. According to Walintukan, “The looting happened before logistical aid arrived. [Residents] didn’t know that aid would come and were worried they would starve.”
In an effort to address the logistical crisis, eleven helicopters were dispatched from Jakarta to the flooded regions the day following the disaster. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that these helicopters are involved in ongoing operations to distribute aid, particularly to locations where ground access has been cut off. However, unpredictable weather continues to pose challenges to these operations. Footage provided by the Cabinet Secretariat illustrates military helicopters airdropping supplies to affected communities, with survivors in the village of North Tapanuli visibly waving frantically to attract attention to their plight. Additionally, four navy ships have arrived at a local port to aid with the distribution of relief supplies.
In parallel, the situation in Sri Lanka has also worsened due to severe flooding and mudslides, with authorities reporting an increased death toll that has now reached 193. The nation is grappling with the aftermath of intense weather conditions that have displaced nearly 148,000 individuals, who are currently being housed in temporary shelters. The severity of the flooding worsened on Thursday, exacerbated by heavy downpours that have inundated homes, fields, and transportation routes, especially in the tea-growing central hill country.
Authorities in Sri Lanka have warned that Cyclone Ditwah, which has formed in the seas east of the island, is on a trajectory towards India's southern coast, potentially impacting weather conditions even further. The dual crises in Indonesia and Sri Lanka underline the devastating effects of extreme weather and the urgent need for efficient disaster-response measures in the region.
