The aftermath of torrential rains in Indonesia’s Pesisir Selatan regency in West Sumatra province has left a devastating toll, with the death count rising to 21 and six individuals still unaccounted for, according to official reports on Sunday.
The disaster, triggered by heavy rains on Thursday, resulted in flash flooding and landslides, forcing over 75,000 residents to evacuate from affected areas. Fajar Sukma, an official from West Sumatra’s disaster mitigation agency, confirmed the grim toll, stating, “As of Sunday, 21 people were found dead and six people remained missing.”
Among the hardest-hit areas was a village situated on a hillside in the Sutera subdistrict, where approximately 200 families found themselves isolated following a landslide followed by flash flooding. Rescue efforts have been intensified in the area, with authorities concentrating their operations on three affected zones.
Abdul Malik, a local search and rescue official, stated that around 150 personnel from various disaster organizations in West Sumatra were engaged in Sunday’s search and rescue operations. However, access to landslide-affected regions remained challenging due to the rugged terrain.
Doni Gusrizal, a senior official from the Pesisir Selatan disaster mitigation agency, noted that while floodwaters had started receding, access to landslide-hit areas remained problematic. The difficult conditions have hampered rescue efforts and exacerbated the challenges faced by affected communities.
The disaster is not isolated to Pesisir Selatan regency alone. In Padang Pariaman regency, also in West Sumatra, heavy rainfall earlier in the week led to overflowing rivers, triggering floods and landslides that claimed at least three lives, according to local disaster agency reports.
Indonesia’s susceptibility to landslides during the rainy season is well-documented, with deforestation exacerbating the problem in certain regions. Prolonged torrential rains often lead to flooding in various parts of the archipelago nation.
This recent tragedy adds to a string of similar incidents, underlining the urgent need for comprehensive disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies in Indonesia. The resilience of affected communities, combined with swift and effective response efforts, remains crucial in the face of such natural calamities.
Sources By Agencies
